'9m 


His  Royal  Highness  The  Duke  of  Connaught,  Governor-General  of  Canada 


In  Canada's 
Wonderful  Northland 

A  Story  of  Eight  Months  of  Travel  by  Canoe, 

Motorboat,  and  Dog-Team  on  the  Northern 

Rivers  and  along  the   New  Quebec 

Coast  of  Hudson  Bay 


By 

W.  Tees  Gurran 

and 

H.  A.  Calkins,  B.Sc. 


With  60  Illustrations  and  Maps 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  and  London 

Cbe  fmfcfcerbocfcer  prcsa 

1917 


COPYRIGHT,  1917 

BY 
W.  TEES  CURRAN 

Second  Impression 


Ube  fmicfterbocfcer  pteas,  flew  l&otfe 


BY  SPECIAL  PERMISSION 

THIS  BOOK  Is 
RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED 

To 

FIELD   MARSHAL   H.R.H.   ARTHUR   WILLIAM    PATRICK 

ALBERT,  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT  AND  STRATHEARN,  K.G.,  P.C., 

K.T.,  K.P.,  G.M.B.,  G.C.S.I.,   G.C.M.G.,   G.C.I.E., 

G.C.V.O.,  GOVERNOR-GENERAL  OF  CANADA,  WHOSE 

GREAT   INTEREST    IN    CANADA    AND    HER    WON- 
DERFUL   DEVELOPMENT    HAS    ENDEARED 
HIM   TO   EVERY  LOYAL    CANADIAN 


372259 


The  Hon.  Sir  Lomer  Gouin,  K.C.M.G.,  Premier  of  the  Province  of  Quebec 


INTRODUCTION 

|UEBEC,  the  oldest  portion  of  Canada, 
is  twice  as  large  as  any  of  the  other 
provinces  and  comprises,  with  Un- 
gava  added,  over  seven  hundred 
thousand  square  miles.  Its  enor- 
mous size  can  only  be  comprehended  by  com- 
parison with  that  of  other  countries.  It  is  equal 
to  one  fifth  of  the  area  of  the  United  States,  or 
six  times  that  of  the  British  Isles,  and  is  larger 
than  Great  Britain,  France,  Spain,  and  Germany 
combined. 

A  thousand  miles  of  its  north-west  boundary 
forms  the  east  coast  of  that  great  inland  sea, 
Hudson  Bay,  a  body  of  salt  water  twenty  times 
as  large  as  Lake  Superior,  and  abounding  in  fish, 
seals,  and  whales.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  the  Hudson  Straits,  on  the  east  by  a  narrow 
strip  of  territory,  Labrador,  which  is  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Government  of  Newfoundland, 
on  the  south  by  the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  the 
United  States  border,  and  on  the  west  by  the 
Province  of  Ontario. 

It  is  nearly  four  hundred  years  since  Jacques 
Cartier  landed  on  the  shores  of  what  is  now  called 
Quebec,  and  yet,  despite  its  tremendous  resources, 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

but  a  comparatively  small  portion  of  even  the 
southern  part  of  the  Province  is  populated.  There 
is  no  doubt  that,  when,  in  the  future,  these  re- 
sources are  developed,  Quebec  will  support  an 
immense  population. 

Until  quite  recently,  exploration  and  develop- 
ment have  advanced  steadily  westward,  due  prin- 
cipally to  the  advantages  of  the  prairie  land, 
which  requires  no  clearing,  and  in  a  very  short 
time  may  be  made  to  yield  a  crop.  As  the  young 
men  of  the  Province  have  grown  up  and  expan- 
sion has  become  necessary,  they  have  gone  west- 
ward to  open  up  new  country  and  make  homes 
for  their  families.  The  expansion  has  now  reached 
its  westward  limit,  the  Pacific,  and  the  people 
have  begun  to  realize  their  provinces  have  breadth 
as  well  as  length. 

The  introduction  of  the  National  Transconti- 
nental and  other  railways  into  the  North  is  dis- 
closing the  fact  that  there  are  in  the  region 
agricultural  lands,  timber  areas,  mineral  deposits, 
water  powers,  and  fisheries  that  in  some  cases 
rival  those  of  the  South. 

What  the  possibilities  are  beyond  the  National 
Transcontinental  Railway  is  practically  unknown. 
It  is  certain  there  are  agricultural  lands  two 
hundred  miles  north  of  the  Rupert  River,  where 
with  the  long,  warm  day,  vegetation  will  be  rapid; 
there  is  also  an  enormous  quantity  of  pulp  wood 
along  the  rivers  flowing  into  James  Bay;  deposits 


INTRODUCTION  vii 

of  iron  ore  aggregating  millions  of  tons  have 
been  discovered  on  the  islands  which  border  the 
Hudson  Bay  coast  of  the  Province;  and  at  other 
places  copper,  galena,  silver,  gold,  and  asbestos 
have  been  found,  although  no  effort  has  been 
made  to  determine  the  extent  and  value  of  the 
deposits.  Recent  government  investigations  have 
shown  that  the  fisheries  in  the  Hudson  Straits 
and  Bay  are  of  great  value,  the  salmon  being 
superior  to  that  of  British  Columbia,  and,  situated 
so  near  the  British  markets,  will  doubtless  soon 
be  operated  on  a  commercial  basis.  When 
Quebec  has  had  ample  time  to  investigate  her 
new  territory,  she  will  find  its  dormant  wealth 
astonishingly  great. 

The  idea  has  long  prevailed  that  the  northern 
portions  of  Canada,  Quebec  included,  are  of  little 
value,  owing  to  their  high  latitude,  but  similar 
mistakes  have  been  made  in  the  past  regarding 
the  southern  parts  of  Canada  when  they  were 
being  colonized.  After  the  signing  of  the  Treaty 
of  Paris,  by  which  France  lost  the  major  part  of 
her  Canadian  colonies,  Voltaire  is  quoted  as  saying: 

We  were  foolish  enough  to  establish  ourselves  on 
the  snows  of  Canada,  among  the  bears  and  the  beav- 
ers. I  have  begged  on  my  knees  that  we  get  rid 
of  Canada. 

We  have  lost  in  a  day  fifteen  hundred  leagues  of 
territory.  These  fifteen  hundred  leagues,  being  a 
frozen  desert,  are  not  a  very  considerable  loss. 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

Another  case  of  mistaken  opinion  as  to  the 
value  of  certain  public  lands  is  that  of  Canada's 
great  silver  camp,  one  of  the  richest  in  the  world, 
which  was  originally  pronounced  of  no  commercial 
importance,  after  a  cursory  inspection  by  gov- 
ernment engineers.  Thus  we  see  that  without 
thorough  investigation,  no  territory  can  be  properly 
judged. 

As  in  the  past,  Western  Canada  was  not  opened 
up  until  the  entrance  of  the  railways,  so  it  will  be 
with  Northern  Quebec,  and  we  would  say,  "All 
honour  to  the  men  who  undertake  the  task." 
What  Lord  Strathcona  and  his  associates  did  for 
the  West  by  the  construction  of  the  Canadian 
Pacific  Railway,  other  men  are  endeavouring  to 
do  for  the  northern  part  of  this  Province. 

When  the  Ottawa,  Abitibi,  and  Hudson  Bay 
Railway  from  Ottawa,  the  North  Railway  from 
Montreal,  and  other  projected  lines  to  James 
Bay,  and  the  government  railway  from  the  West 
to  Port  Nelson,  are  completed,  many  busy  ports 
will  undoubtedly  develop  on  the  northern  shores 
of  Quebec. 

The  Hudson  Bay  route  is  certain  to  become  a 
great  highway  to  the  central  and  western  portions 
of  Canada,  to  the  United  States,  and  to  the  Euro- 
pean markets,  and  it  is  highly  probable  that  within 
the  next  few  years  the  largest  facilities  in  the  world 
for  the  storage  of  grain  will  be  found  on  the  shores 
of  the  Hudson  Bay,  where  immense  quantities  of 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

wheat  must  be  held  awaiting  the  opening  of  the 
season.  The  opening  up  of  this  route  will  even- 
tually have  no  effect  on  any  of  the  present  trans- 
continental railways,  for,  within  the  next  few 
years,  the  traffic  from  west  to  east  will  be  so 
increased  that  there  will  be  an  abundance  for  all. 

The  future  of  this  vast  territory,  New  Quebec, 
must  depend  a  great  deal  on  those  who  are  enter- 
prising enough  to  penetrate  its  still  unexplored 
areas  and  bring  its  hidden  wealth  to  the  attention 
of  those  who  have  the  capital  to  develop  it. 

It  is  hoped  that  some  of  the  readers  of  the  fol- 
lowing chapters  may  catch  the  spirit  of  conquest 
that  actuated  their  ancestors  in  raising  the  Ameri- 
can Continent  to  its  position  in  the  world  today, 
and  assist  in  opening  up  this  great  treasure  house, 
the  heritage  of  the  Canadian  people. 


PREFACE 

JHIS  is  the  narrative  of  a  trip  I  made 
to  the  east  coast  of  Hudson  Bay, 
during  the  summer  and  autumn  of 
1912,  accompanied  by  twenty  men, 
including  my  assistant,  Harold 
A.  Calkins,  B.Sc.,  and  Horace  F.  Strong,  B.Sc. 
(Min.).  It  was  my  second  visit  to  this  unde- 
veloped portion  of  north-eastern  Canada. 

The  story  of  the  first  expedition  (1907),  I  related 
in  the  book  entitled  Glimpses  of  Northern  Canada , 
a  Land  of  Hidden  Treasure,  issued  by  the  Cana- 
dian Government.  This  unassuming  narrative 
found  its  way  into  every  public  library,  both  at 
home  and  in  foreign  lands,  and  the  demand  on  the 
Government  for  copies  was  far  in  excess  of  the 
issue. 

The  fact  that  the  first  book  proved  interesting  to 
so  many  has  prompted  me  to  tell  the  story  of  my 
later  trip,  which  was  made  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
tinuing the  investigation  of  the  natural  resources 
of  what  was  formerly  known  as  the  District  of 
Ungava,  now  the  Territory  of  New  Quebec. 

The  preparations  for  the  expedition  were  made 
with  the  greatest  care.  Equipment  and  provisions 

xi 


xii  PREFACE 


were  chosen  with  all  the  forethought  that  previous 
experience  could  suggest,  a  difficult  proposition  for 
operations  in  a  country  so  remote  from  any  source 
of  supplies. 

Difficulties  were  encountered  over  which  we  had 
no  control,  due  principally  to  stormy  weather,  as 
the  season  was  the  roughest  in  the  memory  of 
the  inhabitants.  This  was  the  more  unfortunate 
because  of  the  fact  that  the  season  of  1907  had 
been  as  notably  good  as  that  of  1912  was  bad, 
and  the  preparations  had  been  made  with  the 
natural  expectation  of  finding  weather  condi- 
tions similar  to  those  obtaining  during  the  former 
trip. 

In  consequence  of  the  stormy  season,  the  trip  was 
lengthened  from  five  to  eight  months,  a  circum- 
stance which  necessitated  travelling  on  snow- 
shoes,  after  the  freezing  of  the  rivers,  from  Moose 
Factory  to  Cochrane,  Ontario,  a  distance  of  about 
two  hundred  miles. 

In  the  chapters  that  follow,  we  have  spoken 
much  of  rough  weather  conditions,  a  matter  that 
affected  our  travelling  almost  every  day  of  the 
journey.  Because  of  that  fact  the  reader  may  form 
erroneous  ideas  regarding  the  climate  of  this  lately 
acquired  portion  of  the  Province.  I  would,  there- 
fore, ask  him  kindly  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  sea- 
son of  1912,  in  the  vicinity  of  Hudson  Bay,  was 
conceded  to  be  the  worst  in  fifty  years;  neverthe- 
less, I  do  not  think  anything  happened  to  us  that 


PREFACE  xiii 

might  not  have  occurred  in  the  experiences  of  the 
early  explorers  of  the  fertile  shores  of  the  south- 
ern part  of  Quebec,  which  portion  was  at  one  time 
much  farther  removed  from  civilization  than  are 
at  the  present  time  our  northern  boundaries. 

I  cannot  but  acknowledge  with  gratitude  the 
kindness  of  the  officers  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany and  Revillon  Freres,  as  well  as  others  resident 
in  the  country.  Their  friendliness  was  a  strong 
factor,  in  spite  of  the  stormy  season,  in  turning  a 
tedious  and  worrisome  trip  into  one  of  pleasure  and 
replete  with  pleasant  memories.  We  found  big- 
hearted  men  in  these  remote  places  filling  positions 
of  trust  in  a  most  creditable  manner. 

Mention  must  be  made  in  particular  of  Messrs. 
R.  O.  Griffith  and  Blais,  Post  Managers  at  Fort 
George ;  Mr.  C.  J.  R.  Jobson  of  the  Eastmain  Post, 
whose  efforts  to  make  us  comfortable  during  a 
protracted  stay  at  his  Post  were  unremitting; 
Messrs.  J.  G.  Mowatt  and  Halle,  of  the  Moose 
River  Posts,  and  also  Mr.  Draulette,  Inspector  of 
the  Posts  on  the  Bay  for  Revillon  Freres. 

The  man  who  denies  that  the  world  is  growing 
better  has  never  been  brought  into  touch  with 
the  "new  civilization"  of  Fort  George  and  Great 
Whale  River.  This  is  unique  in  itself,  and  may  be 
attributed  to  the  untiring  efforts  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Walton  and  his  wife,  who  for  the  past  twenty 
years  have  ministered  to  the  Indians  and  Eskimos 
of  the  Eastmain  coast.  Nowhere  in  Canada  might 


xiv  PREFACE 


one  have  a  feeling  of  more  absolute  security 
than  among  these  people  whose  honesty  and 
sobriety  are  unimpeachable.  Mr.  Walton's  hos- 
pitality to  all  comers  of  good  intent  is  well  known, 
and  it  was  none  the  less  manifest  to  us  that 
year. 

The  pleasure  and  comfort  of  our  stay  in  Moose 
Factory,  while  waiting  for  the  "freeze  up,"  were 
due  to  the  kindness  and  generosity  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Haythornthwaite  and  his  wife,  who  placed 
their  well-furnished  home,  with  its  cellar  of  vege- 
tables, at  our  disposal,  and  whose  thoughtful  atten- 
tion to  our  every  need  never  relaxed. 

Nor  can  it  be  said  that  all  our  pleasant  recol- 
lections are  of  officials  and  people  of  note,  for  when 
we  had  said  good-bye  to  all  of  these,  and  had  come 
to  the  farther  end  of  Moose  Island,  we  found  a 
number  of  our  dusky  friends  waiting  to  bid  us 
"godspeed";  and  later  when  rounding  the  end  of 
the  island  beyond,  which  would  shut  off  the  view 
of  the  little  place  that  had  afforded  us  so  many 
days  of  real  comfort,  we  turned  to  say  a  last  fare- 
well to  Moose  Factory  and  the  Bay,  these  kind- 
hearted  people  were  still  watching  our  onward 
progress. 

I  must  take  advantage  of  this  opportunity  to  pay 
a  slight  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  late  Miss 
Mary  A.  Johnston,  who  received  us  so  kindly 
at  the  Industrial  School  in  Moose  Factory  on  our 
outward  journey,  and  who,  we  learned  on  our  re- 


PREFACE  xv 


turn,  had  been  called  to  her  home  in  Clarenceville, 
Quebec,  owing  to  the  serious  illness  of  her  mother. 
Miss  Johnston's  interest  in  the  Indian  had  induced 
her  to  exchange  the  comforts  of  home  life  for  one  of 
self-sacrifice  and  service  in  teaching  and  nursing 
her  dusky  brothers  and  sisters,  for  which  objects 
she  faced  the  hardships  of  the  outdoor  life  and  the 
dangers  of  long  canoe  journeys  with  her  Indian 
guides.  It  was  with  profound  regret  we  learned 
that  her  useful  life  had  been  cut  short  while  she 
was  travelling  in  England  last  September. 

I  cannot  close  without  acknowledging  the 
services  of  my  assistant,  Harold  A.  Calkins,  who 
never  failed  in  the  capable  performance  of  any 
duty  throughout  the  entire  journey.  I  shall 
never  forget  his  faithful  night  vigils  on  the  boat 
during  that  long,  stormy  season,  a  duty  that  was 
really  not  his  to  perform.  As  a  travelling  com- 
panion he  was  always  kind  and  cheerful,  even  in 
the  midst  of  the  most  discouraging  circumstances, 
and  in  discussions  of  important  matters  his 
opinions  invariably  proved  valuable. 

In  writing  up  the  account  of  the  trip  he  and  I 
have  lived  it  all  over  again,  and  we  have  found 
that  there  are  but  few  of  the  experiences  on  which 
we  cannot  look  back  with  pleasure. 

It  is  the  desire  of  the  writers  that  the  record 
contained  in  the  following  pages  may  prove  of 
interest  and  of  value  to  those  who  follow  us  in  the 
opening  of  that  vast  area,  Newest  Quebec,  and 


xvi  PREFACE 


may  assist  in  correcting  many  of  the  existing 
misconceptions  commonly  held  regarding  that 
great  country,  whose  resources  may,  when  fully 
known,  prove  to  be  some  of  Canada's  richest. 

W.  T.  C. 

December  28th,  1913. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION v 

PREFACE xi 

CHAPTER  f 

I. — THE  PREPARATIONS  i 

II. — THE  START 10 

III. — THE  TURBULENT  MISSINAIBI            .  18 
IV. — OFF  FOR  MOOSE  FACTORY       .         .31 

V. — DOWN  THE  MOOSE  VALLEY  TO  THE 

SEA 46 

VI. — MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  RUPERT  HOUSE  .  53 

VII. — A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY       .         .  67 

VIII. — RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIVER  84 

IX. — EASTMAIN  RIVER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  101 

X. — FORT  GEORGE         .        .        .        .115 

XI. — FORT    GEORGE   TO    GREAT   WHALE 

RIVER 126 

XII. — GREAT   WHALE    RIVER   TO    LITTLE 

WHALE  RIVER    .         .         ,  156 
xvii 


xviii  CONTENTS 


XIII. — CLARK  ISLAND        .         .         .         .170 
XIV.— NASTAPOKA  RIVER          .         .         .182 

XV. — CLARK   ISLAND   TO   GREAT   WHALE 

RIVER 194 

XVI. — GREAT    WHALE    RIVER    TO    FORT 

GEORGE 215 

XVII. — FORT  GEORGE         ....  232 

XVIII. — FORT  GEORGE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIVER    .  242 

XIX. — EASTMAIN  RIVER  TO  WOOD  ISLAND     .  258 

XX. — WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY    .  272 

XXI. — SEVEN  WEEKS  AT  MOOSE  FACTORY   .  288 

XXII. — HOMEWARD    BOUND    ON    THE    ICE. 

MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  NEW  POST       .     305 

XXIII. — NEW  POST  TO  COCHRANE  .  .318 
APPENDIX  .....  333 
INDEX 337 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING 
PAGE 

His  ROYAL   HIGHNESS   THE   DUKE   OF   CON- 
NAUGHT,  GOVERNOR-GENERAL  OF  CANADA 

Frontispiece 

THE  HON.  SIR  LOMER  GOUIN,  K.C.M.G.,  PRE- 
MIER OF  THE  PROVINCE  OF  QUEBEC     .         .  v 

THE  AUTHORS       .  i 

THE  BRUNSWICK  RAPIDS         ....  20 

THE  SPLIT  ROCK  FALLS          ....  20 

THE  POPLAR-CLAD  BANKS       ....  24 

SHOOTING  DOUBLE  PORTAGE  RAPIDS        .         .  24 

A  BEAUTIFUL  BEND  ON  THE  BRUNSWICK  RIVER  28 

THE  WAVY  RAPIDS 30 

AT  THE  END  OF  A  PORTAGE  TRAIL        .         .  30 

THE    CAMP    OF    THE    RAILWAY    ENGINEERS, 

MISSINAIBI  CROSSING      ....  32 

WASH  DAY  IN  THE  CAMP      ....  32 

SUPPLIES  AND  EQUIPMENT     ....  34 

PREPARING  FOR  THE  START   ....  34 

xix 


xx  ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING 
PAGE 


THE  CONJURERS'  HOUSE  CANON      ...  40 

THE  CONJURERS'  HOUSE         ....  40 

HAULING    A    MOTORBOAT    OVER    CONJURERS' 

HOUSE  TRAIL 44 

THE  LONG  PORTAGE  RAPIDS          ...  44 

KAOLIN  DEPOSIT  ON  THE  MISSINAIBI  RIVER       .  48 

GYPSUM  BEDS  ON  THE  MOOSE  RIVER       .         .  48 

THE  MOOSE  RIVER  POST  OF  REVILLON  FRERES  52 

THE    HUDSON'S   BAY   COMPANY'S   BUILDINGS, 

MOOSE  FACTORY     .....  52 

MOOSE  FACTORY  FROM  THE  INDUSTRIAL  SCHOOL  54 

MAP  SOUTHERN  COAST  OF  JAMES  BAY     .         .  56 

THE  DORY  IN  SEA-GOING  TRIM     ...  62 

THE  GIANT  BARK  CANOES  FROM  WASWANIPI  62 

RUPERT  HOUSE     ......  74 

THE  FACTOR'S  GARDEN,  RUPERT  HOUSE         .  74 

MAP  SOUTHERN  HALF,  EAST  COAST  OF  JAMES 

BAY 94 

MAP  FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  .  112 

THE  MISSION  BUILDINGS,  FORT  GEORGE         .  116 
THE  MISSION  GARDEN,  FORT  GEORGE   ,        .116 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xxi 


FACING 
PAGE 


THE  FAMILY  OF  "THE  RAT,"  FORT  GEORGE  .  122 
AN  INDIAN  BURIAL  AT  FORT  GEORGE  .  .122 

AT  FORT  GEORGE,  BISHOP  ANDERSON  AND  THE 

REV.  W.  C.  WALTON        .         .         .         .124 

FISHER  WOMEN  AT  FORT  GEORGE  .  .128 
WATCHING  OUR  DEPARTURE  FROM  FORT  GEORGE  128 
AN  ESKIMO  MOTHER  AT  CAPE  JONES  .  .142 
AN  ESKIMO  SALMON  SPEAR  .  .  .  .142 
DRIFTING  ICE  IN  LONG  ISLAND  SOUND  .  .  148 
KYAKS  AT  LITTLE  CAPE  JONES  .  .  .148 

HUDSON'S  BAY  COMPANY'S  POST,  GREAT  WHALE 

RIVER    .         .         ...         .         .154 

ESKIMO  WOMEN,  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER          .     154 

MAP  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  TO  THE  NASTAPOKA 

RIVER .158 

THE  CLIFF  FACE,  EAST  SIDE,  CLARK  ISLAND  .     172 

THE  NASTAPOKA  FALLS         .         .         .  .184 

".  .  .  A  PICTURE  OF  PEACEFUL  SECURITY  "  .     1 88 

CHUTES  ABOVE  THE  NASTAPOKA  FALLS     .  .188 

THE  MAIN  HEMATITE  BED,  CLARK  ISLAND  .     194 

THE  CLIFFS  AND  FLATS,  CLARK  ISLAND    .  .194 


xxii  ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING 
PAGE 


AN  ESKIMO  FAMILY,  NASTAPOKA  SOUND  .         .     200 

AT  THE  TREE  LIMIT 200 

THE  COLISEUM  CLIFF,  SALMON  FISHER'S  TRAIL  202 
TABLE  MOUNTAIN,  SALMON  FISHER'S  TRAIL  .  202 
CASTLE  ROCK,  MANITOUNUK  SOUND  .  .210 
ESKIMOS  AT  SERVICE,  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  .  210 
AT  THE  MISSION  HOUSE,  MOOSE  FACTORY  .  296 
THE  INDUSTRIAL  SCHOOL,  MOOSE  FACTORY  .  296 
FIVE  MINUTES'  REST  ON  THE  TRAIL  .  .316 
THE  AUTHORS  IN  HARNESS  .  .  .  .316 
MAP  OF  EASTERN  CANADA  .  .  .  At  the  end 


In  Canada's  Wonderful  Northland 


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I 


W.  Tees  Curran 


H.  A.  Calkins,  B.SC. 


The  Authors 


In  Canada's  Wonderful 
Northland 


CHAPTER  I 
THe  Preparations 

|T  was  with  a  view  to  continuing  the 
investigations  which  had  been  com- 
menced five  years  previous  that 
the  writers  began,  early  last  year, 
to  plan  a  trip  by  way  of  the  Missi- 
naibi  and  Moose  rivers  to  James  Bay  and  thence 
up  the  east  coast  of  Hudson  Bay,  to  Clark  Island, 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Nastapoka  River. 

During  the  trip  through  the  same  country  in 
1907,  valuable  mineral  deposits  had  been  discov- 
ered, in  particular  on  Clark  Island,  in  the  Nasta- 
poka Sound,  on  which  is  a  deposit  of  iron  ore 
aggregating  several  hundred  million  tons.  One 
of  the  purposes  of  the  expedition  was  to  visit, 
survey,  and  do  the  necessary  development  work 
upon  this  deposit.  The  mining  engineer  was 
also  to  prepare  a  report  upon  it,  giving  the  quan- 
tity, and  from  samples  systematically  taken  to 
determine  the  quality  of  the  ore. 

i 


IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 


It  was  arranged  that  the  expedition  should 
consist  of  four  different  parties.  Three  of  these 
were  assigned  special  localities  in  which  to  do 
assessment  work  or  prospecting.  The  other  was 
the  chief  party  and  was  in  charge  of  the  expedi- 
tion. This  party  was  also  to  make  a  general 
investigation  of  all  the  resources  along  the  route. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  members  of 
the  expedition  in  their  respective  parties: 


Chief  Party 


Clark  Island  Party 


Prospectors 


Prospectors 


'W.  TEES  CURRAN. 
H.  A.  CALKINS,  B.Sc.,  Assistant. 
L.  C.  MCFARLANE,  Engineman  for 
motor  boat. 

H.    F.    STRONG,    B.Sc.,    Mining 

Engineer. 

SPENCER  BENNET,  Assistant. 
PHIL  JOHNSTON,  Engineman  and 

Cook. 

FRANK  PORTER,  Miner. 
WILLIAM  SMITH,  Blacksmith. 

[FRED  HAMILTON. 
|  WILLIAM  HUTCHINS. 
[ARTHUR  ASH. 

W.  J.  DONALDSON. 
WILFRED  DONALDSON. 
JOE  COYER. 
JAMES  STEWART. 
WILLIAM  BAGLEY. 


THE  PREPARATIONS 


One  who  contemplates  building  a  house  first 
makes  his  plans,  then  counts  the  cost,  and  when 
he  has  the  latter  provided  for  and  the  material 
ready,  he  has  dealt  with  the  most  vital  part  of 
the  proposition.  So  it  may  be  said  of  this  expedi- 
tion. When  a  thousand  and  one  needs  have  to 
be  anticipated  and  provided  for,  all  the  way  from 
a  needle  to  an  anchor,  a  man  must  necessarily 
think  hard  and  do  it  systematically. 

The  person  who  has  never  had  the  experience 
of  fitting  out  an  expedition  which  is  to  travel  to, 
and  do  a  season's  work  in,  an  undeveloped  country, 
nearly  a  thousand  miles  from  a  railway  connect- 
ing with  a  source  of  supplies,  can  hardly  realize 
the  intricacy  of  the  problem. 

The  conditions  under  which  we  were  labouring 
made  it  very  difficult  to  undertake  the  arrange- 
ments, as  one  of  the  authors  was  already  engaged 
in  business  and  the  other  was  in  his  final  year 
at  McGill  University. 

By  frequent  nocturnal  meetings,  when  the 
duties  of  the  day  were  at  an  end,  we  were  enabled 
to  work  out  our  scheme  in  every  detail.  Little 
wonder  was  it  if,  after  going  over  the  various 
phases  of  the  prospective  trip  to  the  country  in 
which  we  were  so  deeply  interested,  we  retired 
to  our  slumbers  to  dream  of  exciting  experiences, 
shooting  moose  and  polar  bears,  running  turbulent 
rapids,  or  visiting  the  interesting  places  and  peoples 
of  the  North. 


IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 


The  following  will  give  some  idea  of  the  re- 
quirements and  difficulties  encountered  in  plan- 
ning for  the  expedition  and  how  they  were  met 
and  overcome. 

The  problem  of  transportation  was  the  first 
and  at  the  same  time  the  most  difficult  with  which 
we  were  confronted.  The  trip  of  1907  was  made 
by  canoe  from  Missinaibi,  on  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway,  to  Moose  Factory,  on  James  Bay,  and 
thence  up  the  bay  on  the  small  government  yacht, 
which  had  been  secured  for  the  season. 

It  was  the  intention  to  continue  the  work  during 
the  following  season  and  plans  were  made  accord- 
ingly, but  the  next  spring  it  was  found  impossible 
to  obtain  the  use  of  the  boat,  and  the  work  had 
to  be  abandoned.  Each  succeeding  year  the  same 
difficulty  presented  itself  and  in  consequence  the 
work  remained  at  a  standstill. 

This  time  we  decided  to  overcome  the  difficulty 
by  taking  our  own  boats  into  the  country.  The 
problem  was  a  hard  one  to  solve,  as  any  craft  we 
chose  had  to  fulfil  the  following  opposing  condi- 
tions : 

It  must 

ist,  have  a  carrying  capacity  of  six  tons,  dead 
and  live  weight. 

2d,  be  sufficiently  strong  to  resist  the  wear  and 
tear  of  running  many  boisterous  and  rocky  rapids. 

3d,  be  sufficiently  light  to  be  taken  over  four 
miles  of  hilly  portages  by  twenty-one  men. 


THE  PREPARATIONS 


4th,  be  of  light  draft,  capable  of  running  in 
less  than  three  feet  of  water  in  the  rivers. 

5th,  be  sufficiently  seaworthy  to  carry  its  load 
with  safety,  while  coasting  along  the  shores  of 
James  and  Hudson  bays. 

6th,  be  capable  of  attaining  a  speed  of  from  six 
to  eight  miles  per  hour,  in  order  that  the  necessary 
distance  be  covered  and  the  work  accomplished 
during  the  short  season. 

7th,  be  ready  for  the  Missinaibi  River  within 
one  month  from  the  day  ordered. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  how  difficult 
a  matter  it  was  to  choose  a  boat  that  would  be 
suitable  for  river  transportation,  and  at  the  same 
time  be  sufficiently  seaworthy  for  the  Bay.  Con- 
siderable time  was  spent  in  investigating  innumer- 
able types  of  craft  and  designs  submitted  by 
experts,  but  each  in  turn  had  its  drawback 
which  made  it  unsuited  to  our  requirements. 

It  was  finally  decided  to  take  two  small  power 
dories  instead  of  one  large  boat  as  we  had  origi- 
nally planned.  This  type  of  boat  seemed  to  meet 
our  requirements  better  than  any  other.  We 
were  furthered  in  our  decision  to  take  these  boats 
by  the  result  of  tests,  which  had  been  made  during 
the  previous  fall  on  Lake  Superior,  with  boats  of 
the  same  class,  in  work  similar  to  that  for  which 
we  required  them. 

Next  came  the  question  of  fuel.  We  realized 
that  it  was  impossible  to  procure  gasoline  for 


IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 


fuel  at  any  of  the  Posts  on  Hudson  Bay,  but  that 
it  would  be  possible  to  obtain  a  limited  supply 
of  kerosene.  Hence,  as  a  precaution,  we  chose  a 
two  cylinder,  two  cycle,  six  horse-power  marine 
gas  engine  with  a  kerosene  converter  attachment, 
capable  of  running  on  either  kerosene  or  gasoline. 

Having  contemplated  running  each  boat  fifteen 
hundred  miles,  we  found  that  it  would  be  neces- 
sary to  transport  four  hundred  gallons  of  fuel, 
relying  on  that  at  the  Posts  only  for  an  emergency. 
Half  of  this  amount  we  took  in  gasoline  and  half 
in  kerosene.  We  planned  to  carry  the  fuel  in 
thirty-five  gallon  cylindrical  tanks,  which  were  to 
be  made  stationary  in  the  bottoms  of  the  boats. 

The  boats  were  built  in  a  town  in  Ontario  and 
as  soon  as  they  were  ready  for  the  installation  of 
the  engines,  McFarlane,  who  was  to  have  charge 
of  one  of  the  engines  for  the  summer,  was  sent 
on  to  attend  to  the  work.  He  was  instructed  to 
ship  the  boats  and  accompany  them  to  Missi- 
naibi  Crossing  on  the  National  Transcontinental 
Railway. 

A  very  complete  repair  outfit  was  provided  for 
each  boat,  including  extra  dry  cells,  vibrators, 
and  engine  parts.  In  addition  to  this  there  was 
provided  a  large  emergency  kit  of  assorted  rope, 
wire,  copper,  and  wire  nails,  screws,  miscellaneous 
hardware,  white  lead,  and  Stop- A- Leak. 

The  balance  of  the  fleet  was  to  consist  of  two 
thirty-foot  canoes  and  four  smaller  ones,  the  two 


THE  PREPARATIONS 


larger  to  be  towed  behind  the  boats,  while  the 
smaller  ones  would  only  be  used  for  river  work. 

The  second  problem  that  confronted  us  was 
the  food  supply.  We  investigated  many  foods 
for  their  relative  proportions  of  bulk  to  nourish- 
ment, and  completely  rejected  certain  of  them, 
in  particular  canned  fruits  and  vegetables,  owing 
to  the  unnecessary  weight  of  tin  and  water, 
neither  of  which  have  food  values. 

After  selecting  the  nature  and  quality  of  our 
provisions,  we  prepared  a  list  of  the  actual  amount 
required  of  each  article,  per  man,  per  day,  based 
on  our  experience  gained  on  former  trips,  and 
such  published  matter  as  was  available  on  that 
subject,  as  for  instance  the  lists  of  the  Geological 
Survey. 

The  following  is  the  list  showing  the  allotment 
of  the  major  supplies,  per  man,  per  day : 

Commodity  Quantity  in  pounds, 

per  man,  Per  day 

Meat  (bacon  and  canned  beef) i.oo 

Wheat  flour i.oo 

Lard 0.12 

Butter 0.12 

Baking  powder 0.02 

Salt 0.02 

Beans 0.12 

Tea 0.02 

Milk  (condensed,  in  one  pound  cans) 0.12 


Carried  forward . .     2.54 


IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 


Commodity  Quantity  in  pounds, 

per  man,  per  day 

Brought  forward 2.54 

Fruit  (evaporated) 0.25 

Sugar 0.50 

Corn  meal o.io 

Oatmeal  or  cream  of  wheat 0.03 

Rice 0.25 

Barley o.io 


Total 3.77 

Each  man  was  supplied  with  a  plate,  bowl, 
mug,  knife,  fork,  and  spoon.  Each  party  also 
had  a  full  set  of  enameled  cooking  utensils. 

In  addition  to  the  above  equipment,  we  took  a 
large  number  of  picks,  shovels,  drills,  a  blacksmith's 
forge  with  full  equipment  for  general  purposes, 
miscellaneous  bars  of  steel,  a  large,  broad-tired 
farm  wagon,  on  which  to  haul  the  boats  across  the 
portages,  and,  last  but  not  least,  several  hundred 
pounds  of  powder  and  dynamite  had  to  be  taken 
for  use  in  development  work  on  the  claims. 

We  planned  to  start  on  the  opening  up  of  the 
Missinaibi  River  and  expected  this  to  occur 
about  the  first  of  May.  Delay  in  the  completion 
of  the  boats  held  us  up  for  some  time,  and  then,  on 
the  thirteenth  of  May,  we  were  informed  that 
the  thirty-foot  canoes  could  not  be  delivered. 
This  caused  a  great  deal  of  inconvenience  and 
the  changing  of  some  of  our  plans,  for  we  had  been 
depending  on  these  to  carry  the  freight  which 


THE  PREPARATIONS 


would  be  in  excess  of  the  capacity  of  the  two 
motor  boats. 

Several  large  firms,  in  various  parts  of  the 
country,  were  wired,  in  an  endeavour  to  secure 
other  large  canoes.  Boats  of  this  type  were  very 
scarce  with  all  the  manufacturing  companies, 
and  the  best  that  could  be  done  was  to  accept  the 
offer  of  three  canoes  nineteen  feet  long,  from  Messrs. 
Revillon  Freres,  at  their  Post  in  Missinaibi,  on 
the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway. 

By  this  time  everything  was  in  readiness  for 
the  start  from  Montreal,  and  the  six  Indian  guides, 
who  had  been  engaged  to  accompany  the  expe- 
dition down  the  river,  were  awaiting  our  notice 
at  Chapleau,  Ontario. 

Delivery  of  the  canoes  by  the  railway  at  this 
late  date  could  not  be  depended  upon,  conse- 
quently it  was  thought  best  that  the  writers 
should  proceed  to  Missinaibi  Station  at  once, 
picking  up  the  guides  on  the  way,  and  make  a 
quick  trip  by  the  old  portage  route  to  the  head- 
waters of  the  Missinaibi  River,  and  as  far  down 
as  the  crossing  of  the  National  Transcontinental 
Railway,  where  they  would  meet  the  balance  of 
the  expedition  with  the  boats  and  supplies.  This 
plan  was  adopted  when  a  telegram  was  received 
on  May  eighteenth,  from  the  head  guide,  saying 
that  the  river  was  quite  open. 


CHAPTER  H 

i 

The  Start 

OR  weeks  previous  to  the  date  of 
starting,  most  of  the  time  was 
given  to  preparations  which  have 
already  been  described  in  detail 
and  to  getting  private  affairs  into 
condition  for  our  long  absence.  However,  when 
it  was  decided  on  the  eighteenth  of  May  that  we 
should  precede  the  other  members  of  the  party, 
it  seemed  as  if  we  could  be  ready  for  the  event 
only  by  some  miraculous  intervention  of  Provi- 
dence. 

On  Monday,  the  twentieth  of  May,  our  berths 
were  secured  on  the  Imperial  Limited,  the  trans- 
continental express  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Rail- 
way, which  left  Montreal  about  ten  o'clock  at 
night. 

That  evening  was  a  busy  one.  Unable  to 
leave  our  office  before  seven  o'clock,  we  still  had 
to  partake  of  dinner,  see  many  friends  who  had 
come  to  bid  us  farewell,  and  worst  of  all,  the  two 
boxes  containing  our  instruments  had  to  be  re- 
packed. How  we  accomplished  everything  in 
the  next  two  hours  has  been  a  puzzle  to  us  ever 

10 


THE  START  u 


since,  but  with  the  assistance  of  kind  friends,  by 
half  past  nine,  all  our  baggage  was  on  two  cabs 
at  the  door.  Our  farewells  said,  we  drove  hastily 
to  the  station,  arriving  there  barely  in  time  to 
have  the  numerous  parcels  of  baggage  weighed 
and  checked,  and  to  say  the  last  adieux. 

At  last,  we  were  off!  What  a  feeling  of  relief 
came  over  us  as  we  dropped  into  our  seats,  realiz- 
ing that  the  months  of  preparation  were  over, 
and  that  the  trip  was  no  longer  a  thing  of  the 
future!  However  perfect  or  imperfect  our  ar- 
rangements were,  we  had  done  our  best,  and  our 
troubles,  as  we  imagined,  lay  behind  us. 

On  the  next  afternoon  at  half  past  five,  we 
arrived  in  Chapleau,  and  stepping  from  the  train, 
found  six  guides,  headed  by  Isaiah,  our  former 
chief  guide,  awaiting  us,  as  we  had  instructed 
them  by  telegraph.  Isaiah  introduced  his  men, 
a  husky  looking  crowd,  by  saying  "all  good  boys," 
at  the  same  time  giving  a  broad  smile,  evidently 
one  of  satisfaction. 

The  rest  of  the  journey  was  spent  in  renewing 
our  former  acquaintance  with  Isaiah,  who  had 
much  to  relate  of  the  happenings  on  the  Bay 
during  the  intervening  five  years,  and  of  his 
hunting  exploits  since  he  had  been  out  with  us. 

Like  all  Indians,  Isaiah  had  a  knowledge  of 
mineral  deposits  of  great  economic  value  within 
the  limits  of  his  hunting  grounds,  the  location 
of  which  he  was  prepared  to  divulge  for  a  nominal 


12  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

consideration.  Fearing  that  the  wealth  to  be 
derived  from  such  information  would  be  too  large 
for  us  to  manage,  we  decided  that  he  had  better 
reserve  his  secret  for  more  powerful  capitalists. 

Arriving  at  Missinaibi  Station  at  about  half 
past  nine  in  the  evening,  we  were  met  by  the 
manager  of  the  Revillon  Freres'  Post,  who  invited 
us  to  spend  the  night  with  him,  and  who  provided 
quarters  for  the  guides  in  the  Indian  house. 

Missinaibi  had  been  the  starting  point  for  many 
excursions  which  we  had  made  down  the  river  of 
the  same  name.  We  had  been  received  by  the 
same  gentleman  and  enjoyed  his  hospitality  several 
times  before,  so  that  it  was  with  feelings  of  pleasure 
and  anticipation  that  we  visited  the  little  place 
once  again. 

The  town  is  situated  on  Dog  Lake,  and  is  on 
the  old  portage  route  between  Michipicoten,  on 
Lake  Superior,  and  Moose  Factory,  near  James 
Bay,  by  way  of  the  Missinaibi  River,  a  route  that 
has  been  travelled  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
for  the  past  two  hundred  years.  We  supposed 
we  had  travelled  this  route  for  the  last  time  during 
the  previous  summer,  and  as  we  had  enjoyed 
some  of  the  finest  scenery,  killed  the  best  game, 
and  met  with  some  of  the  most  thrilling  experi- 
ences of  our  lives  on  this  river,  we  did  not  regret 
the  fact  that  duty  brought  us  this  way  again. 

It  was  arranged  with  the  guides  that  all  should 
rise  early  the  first  morning,  so  that  the  supplies 


THE  START  13 


for  the  journey  down  the  river  to  the  Crossing 
could  be  selected  and  packaged  properly  for 
travelling,  our  personal  camping  outfit  gotten 
into  readiness,  for  it  had  been  stored  in  the  ware- 
house at  the  Post  for  nearly  a  year,  and  a  start 
on  the  journey  made  early  in  the  day. 

Consequently,  on  the  following  day,  May 
twenty-second,  we  were  up  early  and  busily 
engaged  in  packing  our  clothes  and  bedding  into 
pack  sacks  and  dunnage  bags,  for  the  trunk  in 
which  we  had  brought  them  thus  far  was  not  a 
convenient  package  to  place  in  a  canoe  or  carry 
on  one's  back  for  a  mile  or  more  over  some  slippery 
portage. 

The  instruments  for  surveying,  mineral  kit, 
tonsorial  apparatus,  maps,  and  other  valuables 
which  could  not  be  conveniently  carried  in  a  bag 
were  packed  in  two  strong  padlocked  boxes,  con- 
structed for  the  purpose  and  just  wide  enough  to 
sit  crosswise  in  the  centre  of  the  canoe.  These 
were  heavy  loads  to  handle  on  the  portage,  but 
amply  proved  their  worth  in  the  protection  they 
afforded  during  the  trip  on  the  Bay. 

The  town  of  Missinaibi  affords  only  one  eating 
house  and  it  was  here  that  we  repaired  for  our 
breakfast.  Throughout  the  meal  we  were  enter- 
tained by  the  conversation  of  two  very  interesting 
characters,  both  of  whom  were  true  representatives 
of  their  professions.  One  was  an  itinerant  priest, 
the  other  a  railway  construction  man  of  rather 


14  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

loose  ideals  along  certain  lines.  The  two  men 
were  mixed  up  in  a  very  serious  argument,  the 
latter  maintaining  that  there  was  no  essential 
difference  between  Roman  Catholic,  Quaker, 
Mormon,  or  Methodist  sects,  much  to  the  disgust 
of  the  former. 

The  supplies  and  dunnage  loaded,  letters  writ- 
ten, and  farewell  telegrams  dispatched,  the  canoes 
were  launched  at  half  past  eleven,  and  the  voyage 
of  over  eighteen  hundred  miles  began,  with  a 
gale  of  wind  and  rain  in  our  faces. 

At  the  northern  end  of  Dog  Lake,  a  portage 
over  the  height-of-land  leads  to  Crooked  Lake. 
This  height-of-land  between  the  two  lakes  is  the 
great  divide  between  the  Hudson  Bay  and  the 
St.  Lawrence  River  basins.  On  the  Dog  Lake 
side,  the  waters  flow  southward  to  the  Great  Lakes, 
while  on  that  of  Crooked  Lake,  five  hundred  yards 
distant,  the  waters  flow  northward  to  Hudson  Bay. 

Arriving  at  the  portage,  we  were  pleasantly 
surprised  to  find  a  push-car  and  track,  installed 
by  some  railway  contractor  to  facilitate  the  freight- 
ing of  his  supplies,  by  way  of  the  lakes,  to  his 
section  on  the  new  line  of  the  Canadian  Northern 
Railway.  Taking  advantage  of  this  convenience, 
we  had  our  canoes  and  goods  across  in  thirty 
minutes,  and  were  launched  on  Crooked  Lake, 
the  first  water  flowing  northward. 

The  name  of  the  lake  is  truly  indicative  of  its 
character.  Itsrshores  and  surrounding  hills,  clad 


THE  START  15 


in  fir  and  poplars  of  many  shades  of  green  and 
bathed  in  the  rays  of  the  spring  sun,  which  shone 
brightly,  presented  a  picture  of  great  beauty, 
and  as  we  followed  its  ever-changing  course,  lead- 
ing to  all  points  of  the  compass,  a  new  and  lovelier 
view  appeared  at  every  turn. 

Reaching  an  old  camping  place,  about  midway 
along  the  shore  of  the  lake,  we  decided  to  halt 
for  the  night.  This  was  done  under  anything 
but  favourable  circumstances,  as  a  heavy  rain 
began  to  fall,  almost  immediately  after  our  land- 
ing. It  was  a  splendid  initiation  to  our  future 
experiences,  and  we  soon  forgot  discomfort  in  the 
satisfying  of  our  appetites,  which,  due  to  the  first 
day  in  the  fresh  air,  were  already  assuming  larger 
proportions. 

We  were  awakened  after  a  good  night's  sleep 
by  the  crackling  of  the  fire,  and  the  appetizing 
odour  of  fresh  fish  frying  in  the  pan.  The  morn- 
ing was  misty,  but  our  spirits  were  not  dampened, 
for  we  were  determined  to  reach  the  railway 
crossing  in  record  time. 

By  eight  o'clock  the  next  portage  was  reached. 
The  trail  was  about  half  a  mile  long  and  led  to 
Missinaibi  Lake.  Here  another  push-car  was 
found,  enabling  us  to  get  our  goods  across  and 
the  canoes  into  the  water  again  within  forty 
minutes. 

Missinaibi  (pictured  water)  Lake  is  without 
doubt  the  most  beautiful  body  of  water  traversed 


16  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

on  the  whole  river  trip.  It  is  thirty-five  miles 
from  end  to  end,  of  which  twenty-five  miles  lay 
in  our  course.  Its  shores  are  forest-clad,  and  rise 
gradually  to  hills  several  hundred  feet  high.  We 
were  not  fortunate  enough  to  view  the  beauties 
of  the  lake  that  morning,  for  a  fog  settled  down 
heavily  while  the  party  was  still  on  the  portage, 
and  remained  until  nearly  noon. 

The  trail  ends  on  the  shore  of  a  little  bay. 
From  there  the  course  leads  to  a  bold  rocky  head- 
land, known  as  Fairy  Point,  after  rounding  which 
the  main  body  of  the  lake  is  entered.  To  reach 
this  a  long  cut  is  necessary,  and  it  is  considered 
a  dangerous  spot  by  the  Indians  because  of  the 
frequency  of  sudden  wind  squalls  about  the  point. 

The  guides  showed  some  hesitancy  in  starting 
out,  as  it  was  quite  impossible  to  see  more  than  a 
few  yards  ahead.  However,  after  some  persuasion 
they  pushed  off,  each  canoe  taking  a  route  of  its 
own.  After  paddling  for  some  time,  they  began 
to  exchange  shouts,  for  they  had  hopelessly  lost 
their  bearings.  Coming  together  gradually  it 
was  discovered  that  the  canoes  had  been  moving 
in  circles  and  were,  as  we  found  shortly  after 
when  somebody  saw  land,  in  about  the  same  place 
from  which  we  had  started.  Nothing  daunted, 
another  attempt  was  made,  but  with  simi- 
lar result.  The  third  time  proved  effective  and 
the  point  was  rounded  amid  the  cheers  of  the 
voyageurs. 


THE  START  17 


The  lake  is  the  headwater  of  the  Missinaibi 
River  and  from  the  northern  end  of  it  the  latter 
is  reached.  On  the  shore  of  the  lake,  about  two 
miles  from  the  head  of  the  Missinaibi  River,  a 
Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Post  is  situated.  It  is 
known  as  the  Brunswick  Post,  and  is  the  last  of 
the  rapidly  receding  chain  of  these,  which  at  one 
time  stretched  along  this  route  to  the  Bay. 

The  sight  of  the  Post  again  revived  pleasant 
memories  of  events  which  transpired  on  previous 
trips,  and  of  many  kind  acts  of  hospitality  by 
former  Factors  who  had  resided  there.  Owing 
to  our  haste,  we  did  not  stop,  but  gave  it  a  wide 
berth,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  the  outlet  of  the 
lake.  At  this  place  the  Missinaibi  River  begins 
with  a  heavy  rapid,  known  as  the  Brunswick. 


CHAPTER  III 
The  Turbulent  Missinaibi 

|T  the  head  of  the  Brunswick  Rapids, 
and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river 
to  the  trail,  was  an  Indian  encamp- 
ment. There  a  stop  was  made, 
and  while  the  guides  took  observa- 
tions on  the  rapids,  Harold,  the  Assistant  Chief, 
took  observations  on  the  ladies  of  the  wigwam. 
Many  pleasant  smiles  were  exchanged  between 
them.  On  the  return  of  the  guides,  we  crossed 
to  the  portage  side  of  the  river,  and  there  part  of 
the  goods  was  unloaded  on  the  sloping  bank,  to 
be  carried  over  the  trail,  while  the  guides  ran  the 
rapids  with  the  lightened  canoes. 

Now,  there  chanced  to  be  a  box  of  instruments, 
weighing  a  hundred  pounds  or  more,  that  had 
to  be  carried  over  the  portage.  Harold,  not  to 
be  outdone  by  the  Indians,  who  were  displaying 
their  strength  before  the  brunette  on  the  opposite 
bank,  and  considering  himself  no  weakling,  under- 
took to  carry  this  box,  the  heaviest  in  the  pile. 

With  a  mechanical  air,  he  strode  up  to  the  box, 
and,  kneeling,  placed  the  pack-strap  around  it 
in  the  usual  manner.  Putting  the  carrying  part 

18 


THE  TURBULENT  MISSINAIBI          19 

of  the  strap  across  his  forehead,  he  arose  with  a 
smile  of  triumph — all  too  soon,  for  the  strap 
was  too  long,  the  box  shifted,  and  the  would-be 
Hercules,  toppling  over  backwards,  landed  amongst 
the  pots,  kettles,  and  cutlery  of  the  cook's  box. 

A  loud  burst  of  laughter  came  from  the  lady 
on  the  opposite  bank,  who  evidently  enjoyed  the 
joke  on  the  white  upstart.  Harold,  much  abashed 
by  the  hilarity  of  the  dark  beauty,  resolved  on 
turning  the  joke,  and,  after  adjusting  his  strap, 
picked  up  the  box,  and  adding  still  another  pack- 
age to  his  load,  walked  down  the  trail  with  defiant 
step,  which  however  slackened  as  soon  as  he 
was  hidden  from  view  by  the  bushes. 

After  the  rapids,  the  river  enters  a  low,  marshy 
country,  which  is  known  as  the  Little  Swampy 
Ground.  The  night  was  spent  on  an  immense 
rock,  practically  the  only  dry  spot  within  several 
miles.  Surrounded  by  millions  of  frogs  in  the 
adjacent  swamp,  we  laid  our  tired  bodies  down, 
hoping  for  rest  in  sleep,  but  only  to  grow  mentally 
weary  of  the  greatest  chorus  of  croakers  that 
it  has  ever  been  our  misfortune  to  be  thrown 
among. 

The  next  day  was  one  of  most  interesting 
experiences.  We  had  been  going  only  half  an 
hour,  when  a  moose  was  seen  swimming  across  the 
river  ahead  of  us.  Quick  and  silent  paddling 
soon  brought  us  within  range,  and  Isaiah,  who 
was  in  the  bow  of  the  canoe,  brought  him,  a  two- 


20  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

year-old  bull,  down  with  a  well-aimed  shot,  just 
as  he  reached  the  bank. 

Fifteen  minutes  was  all  that  was  required  by 
the  guides  to  dress  the  carcass  and  we  resumed 
our  journey,  leaving  a  portion  of  it  cached  for 
some  fortunate  traveller  who  might  be  following 
behind  us.  Several  other  moose  were  seen  during 
the  succeeding  days,  but  it  has  always  been  our 
rule  never  to  take  life  unless  it  is  necessary  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  food.  Consequently,  they 
were  not  molested. 

We  soon  passed  out  of  the  sluggish  waters  of 
Little  Swampy  Ground  and  entered  a  long  stretch 
of  heavy  rapids,  full  of  rocks.  The  waves  were 
very  large  in  places,  and  at  times  threatened  to 
swamp  the  canoes,  but  thanks  to  our  dusky  guides, 
only  a  small  quantity  of  spray  was  shipped,  a 
mere  shower-bath. 

Next  came  the  Long  Rapids,  which  are  said 
to  be  the  most  dangerous  on  the  upper  river. 
These  we  had  never  run  on  any  of  the  previous 
trips.  The  chief  danger  lay  in  two  chutes,  each 
about  an  eighth  of  a  mile  long.  In  these  the 
water  is  deep  but  the  waves  are  very  high,  so 
that  when  in  the  trough  it  would  be  impossible 
to  see  over  the  crest.  We  got  through  safely  and, 
although  drenched  to  the  hide  and  shivering  with 
the  cold,  pronounced  it  the  finest  ride  of  our  lives. 

Another  rapid  was  entered  shortly  after,  which 
was  also  long  and  dangerous,  owing  to  a  sharp 


The  Brunswick  Rapids 


The  Split  Rock  FaUs 


THE  TURBULENT  MISSINAIBI         21 

ledge  of  rock  with  a  shallow  covering  of  water, 
the  channel  leading  over  it.  This  rapid  was 
passed  through  safely,  although  we  scraped  over 
the  rock,  much  to  our  discomfort  of  mind. 

A  short  distance  farther  down  the  river,  Big 
Swampy  Ground  was  entered.  The  water  was 
very  high  and  all  that  could  be  seen  for  a  great 
distance  ahead  was  scrubby  swamp  and  an  occa- 
sional clump  of  trees. 

We  stopped  for  dinner  at  one  of  our  old  camping 
places,  a  large  outcrop  of  rock  rising  prominently 
in  the  midst  of  the  swamp.  As  the  sun  was 
bright  and  warm  we  got  fairly  well  dried  out, 
and  with  a  good  warm  dinner  added  to  that, 
again  resumed  our  journey,  feeling  in  good  trim 
for  the  rather  dangerous  course  of  the  afternoon. 

We  arrived  at  Green  Hill  Portage  at  five  o'clock, 
having  travelled  in  one  day  exactly  the  same 
distance  that  is  usually  covered  in  two.  As  it 
was  still  early  in  the  day,  we  were  able  to  get  all 
the  goods  over  the  portage,  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  of  hard  climbing,  and  make  our  camp  at  the 
foot  of  the  slope,  beside  the  rushing  water  of  the 
lower  Green  Hill  Rapids. 

To  the  writers  this  was  a  memorable  spot,  for 
it  was  there  they  had  their  first  experience  of 
running  a  rapid  without  a  guide.  It  is  enough  to 
say  that  on  the  present  occasion  no  experiments 
were  tried.  Perhaps  no  place  on  the  river  affords 
such  a  picturesque  spot  for  camping  as  this. 


22  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Many  a  weary  traveller  has  made  his  bed  of 
boughs  on  this  beautiful  slope  of  the  river  bank, 
and  has  laid  himself  down  thereon,  to  be  lulled 
to  sleep  by  the  song  of  the  rushing  waters  below. 

It  was  here  also  that  on  a  previous  occasion  we 
had  given  up  hope  of  ever  seeing  our  guides  and 
canoes  again.  We  had  separated  on  the  upper 
end  of  the  portage,  the  guides  leaving  to  run  the 
dangerous  rapids,  and  we  to  walk  the  trail.  Natu- 
rally, it  was  expected  that  they  would  be  awaiting 
us  at  the  lower  end.  Little  wonder  then  that, 
after  waiting  for  two  hours,  we  should  have  con- 
cluded that  an  accident,  probably  fatal,  had 
befallen  them,  and  that  long  before  our  arrival, 
guides  and  canoes  had  been  swept  down  by  the 
terrific  current. 

The  feeling  of  dismay  and  horror  at  being  left 
in  such  a  serious  plight,  without  canoes  or  guides, 
came  back  afresh  this  evening.  We  remembered 
with  much  amusement  how,  after  pulling  our- 
selves through  the  tangled  bush  along  the  river- 
side for  more  than  a  mile,  we  found  the  guides 
busy  mending  their  canoes,  which  had  been  dam- 
aged on  the  rocks,  and  that  a  general  feast  was 
declared,  treasured  dainties  being  unearthed  from 
private  pack  sacks  to  be  shared  by  all  the  party. 
Such  events  as  these  can  never  be  forgotten,  and 
the  memory  of  them  can  bring  nothing  but 
pleasure. 

Up  to  this  time  we  had  been  working  very  hard, 


THE  TURBULENT  MISSINAIBI         23 

and  the  trip  was  beginning  to  have  a  tiring  effect 
on  our  muscles,  soft  from  months  of  disuse. 
Little  wonder  then  that  we  did  not  rise  the  next 
morning  until  after  six  o'clock.  However,  we  felt 
very  much  refreshed  and  did  not  regret  the  delay. 

Much  rough  water  lay  ahead,  and  early  in  the 
day  some  of  the  party  got  badly  drenched  while 
running  a  rapid  above  Split  Rock  Falls.  The 
latter  is  another  beauty  spot.  The  water  rushes 
through  a  steep  walled  canon  for  several  hundred 
feet,  and  then  plunging  through  a  cleft  in  the  rock, 
falls  to  a  lower  level.  The  cleft  is  at  an  angle  to 
the  vertical  and  is  only  about  twenty-five  feet 
wide.  Its  sides,  which  are  perfectly  smooth,  are 
parallel  to  each  other.  Through  the  gap  the 
water  moves  so  turbulently  that  it  makes  a  loud 
roar,  which  is  greatly  intensified  by  the  rocky 
chamber.  Everything  had  to  be  portaged  here, 
but  the  trail  was  neither  rough  nor  long,  and  we 
were  able  to  reach  the  next  portage  at  St.  Paul's 
Rapids,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  Thundering 
Water,  by  noon. 

This  is  really  a  great  chute,  the  water  plunging 
madly  over  huge  rocks  and  dropping  through  a 
vertical  distance  of  twenty  feet,  in  a  length  of 
about  two  hundred,  to  drown  its  turbulence  in 
the  quiet  of  a  sandy  bay  below.  It  formed  a  most 
beautiful  picture  as  we  viewed  it  from  the  foot, 
huge  volumes  of  the  spray  being  turned  into  fleecy 
whiteness  by  the  rays  of  the  midday  sun. 


24  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

What  delightful  weather  those  May  days  afforded 
us!  The  atmosphere  was  clear,  and  where  the 
river's  course  was  straight,  long  stretches  of  fir 
and  poplar  clad  banks  could  be  seen.  The  inter- 
mingling shades  of  green  on  the  sloping  hillsides, 
in  the  bright  sunlight  of  the  spring  day,  were 
more  beautiful  than  any  colour  blending  ever 
produced  by  the  hand  of  man.  This  was  nature's 
picture  gallery  and  none  could  appreciate  it 
better  than  we. 

The  next  day  was  rather  a  strenuous  one.  We 
portaged  once,  shot  several  rapids,  and  covered  a 
long  stretch  of  smooth  water. 

Of  the  rapids  passed  through  that  day,  Dipple 
was  the  worst,  and  in  fact  one  of  the  most  danger- 
ous rapids  on  the  route.  At  this  point  the  banks 
come  closer  together,  causing  a  greater  depth  of 
water,  which  rushes  furiously  over  and  amongst 
the  huge  rocks  scattered  about  the  river  bed. 
Owing  to  the  boisterous  state  of  the  water  great 
care  had  to  be  exercised. 

Isaiah  led  the  way,  as  was  his  usual  custom, 
while  the  other  boats  followed  at  a  safe  distance. 
As  we  were  drawn  into  the  sweeping  current,  the 
ever  familiar  order,  "paddle  up,"  was  given. 
Now  .there  was  no  time  to  think  of  danger  ahead, 
it  was  every  man's  duty  to  take  his  quickest  and 
longest  stroke.  One  moment  we  were  down  in 
the  trough  of  the  wave  with  nothing  but  a  surg- 
ing torrent  ahead  of  us,  the  next,  borne  high  on  its 


The  Poplar-Clad  Banks 


1:4 i  r 


Shooting  Double  Portage  Rapids 


^ 

*/    f'-f        ->    -  J          i 


THE  TURBULENT  MISSINAIBI         25 

crest  and  ready  to  dash  into  the  swirling  trough 
before  us ;  then,  taking  the  leap,  we  were  enveloped 
in  spray,  emerging  from  the  adventure  like  drowned 
rats.  The  danger  past,  as  is  the  rule,  we  turned 
to  see  the  others  get  their  baptism.  It  was  always 
good  fun  to  watch  the  other  fellow  enter  what  we 
had  already  passed  through. 

A  long  stretch  of  smooth  water  brought  us  to 
Brunswick  Portage.  This  trail  has  no  connection 
with  the  Missinaibi  River  course,  but  leads  off 
to  Brunswick  Lake,  about  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  distant.  Strange  though  it  may  seem,  one 
sometimes  finds  pleasure  in  meditating  on  events 
which  in  their  occurrence  have  been  anything 
but  pleasant.  Coming  up  to  Brunswick  Portage, 
we  were  reminded  very  vividly  of  an  experience 
we  had  on  that  trail  the  year  previous. 

We  were  returning  from  a  six  weeks'  trip  down 
the  river  with  our  guides,  Louis  and  Thomas,  two 
of  the  best  that  have  ever  accompanied  us.  Reach- 
ing the  mouth  of  the  Brunswick  River,  they  in- 
formed us  that  if  we  were  to  leave  the  Missinaibi 
and  follow  the  former  up  to  and  across  the  lake 
of  the  same  name,  coming  back  to  the  latter 
by  the  portage  in  question,  we  would  not  only 
find  the  route  shorter  but  might  be  able  to  sail 
across  the  lake.  Always  ready  to  adopt  time  and 
labour-saving  methods  we  agreed  to  their  proposal. 

Unfortunately  the  water  in  the  Brunswick 
was  low,  the  rapids  difficult  of  ascent,  and  much 


26  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

of  the  distance  to  the  lake  we  traversed  along  the 
bouldery  river  shore,  while  the  guides  poled  the 
canoe.  Reaching  the  lake,  a  fine  body  of  water 
ten  to  fifteen  miles  long,  we  unfurled  our  sails 
to  a  fair  wind,  and  as  is  customary  when  paddles 
give  way  to  sails,  settled  down  to  an  easy  time. 

Alas!  as  is  so  often  the  case,  when  hopes  are 
centred  on  mast  and  canvas,  the  wind  soon  went 
down  and  we  were  left  becalmed,  despite  the 
fact  that  we  reverted  to  the  time-honoured  Indian 
custom  of  whistling  for  the  wind.  Nature  and 
the  guides  asserted  that  we  would  have  to  get 
busy  and  return  again  to  our  paddling. 

It  took  much  longer  to  cross  the  lake  than  the 
guides  had  anticipated  and  when  the  other  side 
was  reached  it  was  long  past  the  time  for  our  even- 
ing meal.  We  were  still  far  from  the  portage, 
but  just  how  far,  Louis  and  Thomas  did  not  know. 
However,  keen  appetites  and  a  beautiful  spot 
coloured  by  a  cluster  of  mountain  ash,  rich  in 
autumn  foliage  and  berry,  beguiled  us  to  linger 
long  enough  to  satisfy  the  inward  cravings. 

Supper  over,  we  started  again,  although  it  was 
almost  the  close  of  the  day.  At  last,  with  the 
keenness  for  which  the  Indian  is  noted,  the  trail 
was  found  at  the  end  of  a  long,  winding  arm  of 
the  lake,  just  as  darkness  was  closing  down. 
There  was  nothing  within  our  view  but  marsh 
and  the  dim  outline  of  a  hill  beyond,  and  as  it  was 
necessary  to  seek  a  higher  level,  we  decided  that 


THE  TURBULENT  MISSINAIBI         27 

it  was  better  to  cross  the  portage  to  the  river- 
side. 

All  the  goods  that  were  necessary  for  the  camp 
were  picked  out  and  shouldered.  The  guides 
led  the  way,  we  two  following  behind,  and  thus 
began  a  tramp  through  swamp  and  over  rocky 
hills  such  as  we  had  never  experienced  before. 
The  evening  was  intensely  hot,  the  humidity 
great,  and  before  we  had  gone  a  hundred  yards, 
knee-deep  in  the  swamp,  we  were  literally  bathed 
in  perspiration. 

The  guides,  walking  swiftly,  soon  were  ours  no 
longer,  and  by  the  time  we  had  gotten  out  of  the 
swamp  and  about  halfway  up  the  rocky  hill,  the 
trail  ceased  to  be  discernible.  Luckily,  one  of  us 
was  carrying  a  lantern,  which  was  then  brought 
into  requisition.  The  globe,  unfortunately,  was 
black  with  smoke  from  the  previous  using,  and 
in  order  to  get  even  a  dim  light,  the  wick  had 
to  be  turned  high.  This  caused  an  ill-smelling 
smoke  to  rise  to  the  face  of  the  one  who  was  the 
unlucky  bearer,  which  in  the  temperature  of 
ninety  degrees  made  his  position  anything  but 
an  enviable  one. 

By  lantern  light  we  started  to  climb  the  great 
ledges  of  rock,  but  soon  no  trail  was  to  be  seen. 
We  called  to  the  Indians  but  got  no  answer. 
Retracing  our  steps  to  the  swamp,  where  we  found 
the  trail,  we  made  another  attempt  to  climb 
the  hill  but  with  the  previous  result.  Returning 


28  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

again  to  the  well-marked  trail  below,  we  proceeded 
on  our  way  with  the  lantern  held  to  the  ground. 
Reaching  the  edge  of  the  rock,  we  detected  a  light 
streak  thereon  and  followed  it  foot  by  foot,  over 
the  hill  and  down  to  the  trail  on  the  other  side, 
leading  into  the  bush.  There,  unfortunately, 
the  trail  divided. 

A  consultation  was  held  to  decide  which  way 
we  should  take,  and  choosing  the  one  leading  to 
the  right,  we  "got  left,"  finding  it  to  be  a  blind 
path,  and  had  to  retrace  our  steps  back  to  the 
place  where  the  paths  met.  There  was  only  one 
course  now  to  take  and  that  led  through  the  thick 
bush.  The  trail  was  bestrewn  with  fallen  trees, 
some  of  which  lay  high  and  were  difficult  to  cross, 
laden  down  as  we  were. 

In  going  over  one  of  these  big-branched  fallen 
trees  the  bearer  of  the  lantern  fell  into  a  maze  of 
limbs  and  out  went  the  light.  Almost  discouraged 
and  exhausted  we  again  lit  the  lantern  and  pur- 
sued our  onward  course.  Not  far  beyond  was  a 
gully  with  a  small  running  stream  which  had  to 
be  crossed  on  a  fallen  log.  It  was  now  the  other 
man's  turn  to  meet  with  misfortune  and  down  he 
went  into  the  mud  and  water  below. 

Laying  off  his  load  on  a  dry  spot,  the  partner 
went  to  the  fallen  man's  assistance  and  succeeded 
in  getting  him  and  his  pack  sacks  out  of  the  mire. 
Seated  on  a  log,  out  of  breath,  and  well-nigh  dis- 
couraged with  this  mode  of  transportation,  we 


THE  TURBULENT  MISSINAIBI         29 

were  resting  for  a  few  moments  when,  out  of  the 
stillness  of  the  night,  broken  only  by  the  song  of 
the  ever-present  mosquito,  came  a  most  welcome 
sound,  the  shouting  of  men.  We  listened  intently 
for  a  repetition,  which  soon  followed,  and  behold! 
it  was  our  ever-faithful  guides,  searching  for  the 
strayed  "tenderfeet." 

We  hastily  jumped  to  our  feet,  and  getting  all 
our  pots,  kettles,  pack  sacks,  etc.,  into  place, 
hastened  ahead  to  meet  the  Indians.  After  a 
few  other  minor  mishaps,  we  reached  the  edge  of 
the  bush,  where  Louis  and  Thomas  were  awaiting 
us,  ready  to  share  our  burdens  and  lead  the  way 
to  the  camp  which  they  had  prepared  on  the 
riverside. 

Now  that  we  were  passing  the  scene  of  the 
adventure  we  went  over  the  story  again  and 
laughed  heartily  at  what  had  been  our  worst 
experience  on  a  trail. 

We  reached  Devil's  Chute  at  noon  and  dined 
in  the  shade  of  an  upturned  canoe,  a  precaution 
that  was  necessary,  owing  to  the  great  heat  of  the 
sun.  We  were  now  getting  down  from  the  height- 
of-land  into  the  Moose  basin,  and  every  day 
brought  warmer  weather.  The  chute  is  a  large 
and  beautiful  one  and  we  were  sorry  when  the 
time  came  for  us  to  leave  the  picturesque  spot. 

About  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  we  passed 
through  the  Albany  Rapids  and  decided  to  camp 
for  the  night.  The  camp  was  an  excellent  one. 


30  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

As  it  was  early,  there  was  plenty  of  time  to  set 
up  the  tents,  cut  boughs  for  the  beds,  build  a 
roaring  fire,  and  allow  Isaiah  to  exert  his  best 
efforts  in  the  culinary  art. 

By  virtue  of  an  early  start  the  next  morning 
we  were  able  to  reach  the  railway  crossing  by 
noon,  after  passing  Beaver  Portage,  Glass  Falls, 
and  Crow  Rapids,  all  of  which  helped  to  maintain 
our  interest  and  excite  our  admiration. 

We  thus  completed  the  first  section  of  the  trip, 
one  hundred  and  sixty  miles,  in  exactly  five  days, 
or  an  average  of  thirty-two  miles  per  day.  Good 
weather,  high  water,  and  a  light  load  to  lessen 
the  labours  of  the  portages,  combined  to  furnish 
us  with  the  most  delightful  business  holiday  that 
we  can  ever  hope  to  enjoy. 

When  the  Crossing  came  into  view,  we  scanned 
the  river  bank  for  some  evidence  of  the  arrival 
of  the  other  members  of  the  expedition  for  whose 
sake,  so  that  they  might  not  be  kept  waiting, 
we  made  the  quick  descent  of  the  river,  and  who 
were  to  meet  us  with  all  the  supplies  at  this  point. 

No  tents  were  seen,  and,  upon  landing,  our  sus- 
picion that  the  men  had  not  arrived  was  confirmed. 
Seeing  the  Fire  Ranger,  resident  at  the  Crossing, 
we  inquired  for  them,  and  were  informed  that 
they  were  expected  on  the  train  arriving  that 
afternoon. 


The  Wavy  Rapids 


At  the  End  of  a  Portage  Trail 


CHAPTER  IV 
Off  for  Moose  Factory 

|FTER  receiving  news  of  the  balance 
of  the  party,  our  first  thought  was 
to  set  up  comfortable  quarters,  for 
it  would  take  several  days  to  get 
the  provisions  and  the  boats  ready 
for  the  trip  to  Moose  Factory. 

A  short  distance  below  the  bridge  was  the 
engineering  residency  for  a  section  of  the  railway, 
consisting  of  a  group  of  well-built,  log  buildings. 
Near  this  there  was  a  low  spot  in  the  bank  of  the 
river,  where  it  would  be  easy  to  launch  and  load 
the  boats,  so  we  pitched  our  tents  nearby. 

Visiting  the  residency,  we  were  met  by  the 
engineer  in  charge,  who  proved  very  friendly. 
We  were  allowed  the  use  of  their  private  telephone 
line  to  Cochrane,  and  were  thus  enabled  to 
straighten  out  many  matters,  which  would  other- 
wise have  demanded  our  presence  in  that  town. 

As  train  time  approached  we  gathered  at  the 
bridge,  its  usual  stopping  place.  Soon  it  pulled 
in  with  our  three  cars  of  boats  and  supplies  and 
the  men  in  the  coaches. 

Much  to  our  dismay,  we  found  that  three  of 
31 


32  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

the  men  had  not  arrived  and  that  the  kerosene 
and  gasoline  had  not  even  been  shipped,  although 
the  Montreal  firm  from  whom  it  had  been  pur- 
chased were  supposed  to  have  sent  it  by  fast 
freight,  over  two  weeks  previous.  Both  of  these 
facts  meant  delay  to  the  expedition. 

The  work  of  unloading  and  transferring  the 
boats  and  supplies  was  begun  at  once  by  the 
nineteen  men  now  on  the  ground. 

We  had  lists  prepared  showing  the  amount  of 
each  article  to  be  furnished  each  of  the  four  parties, 
so  that  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  distribute  the 
supplies  and  mark  each  package  with  the  number 
of  the  party  to  which  it  belonged.  While  some 
of  the  men  were  busy  with  this  work,  the  rest 
were  launching  the  boats,  which  involved  a  suc- 
cessful trial  of  the  farm  wagon,  which  we  had 
brought  for  the  purpose  of  hauling  the  boats 
over  just  such  ground  as  this. 

On  the  second  day  after  our  arrival,  part  of 
the  men  started  down  the  river  with  a  portion  of 
the  supplies.  They  were  instructed  to  take  them 
as  far  as  the  second  portage,  establish  a  cache 
there,  and  return  to  the  Crossing  for  another  load. 
The  second  portage  is  at  Black  Feather  Rapids, 
about  twelve  miles  below  the  railway. 

The  motor-boat  man  who  had  been  sent  from 
Montreal  to  equip  the  boats  and  bring  them  by 
fast  freight  to  the  Crossing  arrived  on  the  after- 
noon train.  This  was  the  third  day  after  the 


tt 


The  Camp  of  the  Railway  Engineers,  Missinaibi  Crossing 


Wash  Day  in  the  Camp 


OFF  FOR  MOOSE  FACTORY  33 

arrival  of  the  boats.  Had  the  fuel  been  on  hand, 
this  man's  delay  would  have  held  up  the  whole 
party.  He  could  give  no  satisfactory  account  of 
his  movements  despite  the  fact  that  he  should 
have  been  the  first  man  at  the  Crossing. 

The  following  day  the  men  took  another  load 
down  to  the  cache,  this  time  with  instructions  to 
work  ahead  with  what  they  had,  but  maintain 
their  camp  at  Black  Feather  Rapids,  so  as  to 
give  assistance  with  the  large  boats,  if  it  were 
required. 

It  was  a  week  before  the  rest  of  the  men  and 
the  fuel  arrived.  In  the  meantime,  some  side 
trips  were  taken  to  obtain  minor  supplies  or  for 
recreation.  One  day  was  spent  in  visiting  Hearst, 
a  "mushroom"  town  on  the  National  Transcon- 
tinental Railway,  which  had  sprung  up  at  what 
will  be  the  junction  with  the  Algoma  Central 
Railway.  It  is  situated  on  the  Mattawishquia 
River,  eighteen  miles  west  of  the  Missinaibi 
Crossing.  We  covered  the  distance  on  a  hand 
speeder  in  two  hours. 

The  town  consisted  chiefly  of  pool  rooms,  hotels, 
and  general  stores,  a  few  dwelling  houses,  a  club, 
and  a  barber  shop.  The  place  presented  a  scene 
of  great  activity,  owing  to  the  improvements 
both  to  the  railway  and  to  the  town,  which  were 
being  pushed  with  the  utmost  vigour. 

On  Wednesday,  June  the  sixth,  the  balance  of 
the  supplies  and  men  arrived,  and  early  on  the 


34  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

following  morning  the  camp  was  astir,  packing 
the  equipment,  loading  the  boats,  and  making  the 
final  preparations  for  the  start. 

At  eight  o'clock,  farewells  were  said  to  the 
party  at  the  residency,  who  had  shown  us  so 
much  kindness  during  our  stay;  and  our  motor 
boats,  the  very  first  to  run  on  the  Missinaibi 
River,  chugged  away  from  the  crossing,  thus 
beginning  the  long  cruise  to  the  "Land  of  the 
Silent  North." 

The  weather  had  changed  and  the  morning 
was  raw  and  cold,  consequently  the  portage  at 
Rock  Island  Chute,  eight  miles  below,  served  the 
useful  purpose  of  warming  up  a  somewhat  chilly 
party.  The  boats  were  taken  down  the  rapids 
with  half-loads,  and  without  accident,  but  the 
balance  of  the  goods  had  to  be  carried  over  the 
steep  and  slippery  rocks  of  the  trail. 

With  twelve  men  in  the  party,  portaging  and 
reloading  were  quickly  accomplished  and  we  were 
soon  on  our  way  to  Black  Feather  Rapids,  where 
our  advance  party  had  been  camped  for  a  week 
and  were  eagerly  awaiting  our  arrival.  We 
reached  their  camp  at  noon  and  received  a  noisy 
welcome  and  a  hot  dinner. 

Black  Feather  Rapids  is  about  half  a  mile  long 
and  has  a  channel  on  each  side  of  the  river. 
However,  both  are  shallow,  tortuous,  and  contain 
many  rocks  and  much  rough  water. 

The  channels  were  carefully  investigated  by 


Supplies  and  Equipment 


Preparing  for  the  Start 


OFF  FOR  MOOSE  FACTORY  35 

the  guides  before  deciding  to  run  the  motor  boats 
through  the  rapids,  and  when  Isaiah  said  "All 
right,"  excitement  ran  high,  not  only  among 
those  who  were  to  man  the  boats,  but  also  in  the 
others,  who  were  to  be  the  onlookers.  Had  the 
running  of  these  rapids  been  a  frequent  occur- 
rence, it  could  not  have  been  done  even  then 
without  much  misgiving,  but  this  was  an  experi- 
ment and  naturally  might  prove  a  serious  one. 

The  channel  on  the  side  of  the  river  opposite 
to  that  of  the  trail  was  the  one  chosen  as  the 
most  suitable  for  the  motor  boats. 

The  crew  consisted  of  the  engineman,  pilot,  and 
four  polemen.  With  words  of  encouragement 
from  those  left  behind  they  started  out  and, 
making  a  detour,  were  soon  across  the  river  and 
rushing  swiftly  into  the  surging  torrent  below. 
Now  they  were  being  carried  one  way  and  then 
another.  Sometimes,  in  spite  of  all  efforts,  rocks 
were  encountered,  at  others  the  boat  was  lashed 
by  heavy  waves.  Soon  the  dangerous  places 
were  passed,  from  the  foot  of  the  rapids  the  boat 
shot  out  into  quiet  water,  and  the  feat  of  running 
Black  Feather  Rapids  by  motor  boat  was  accom- 
plished. 

The  same  party  then  returned  to  bring  down  the 
other  boat.  The  trip  was  started  with  greater 
confidence  than  the  previous  one,  but  the  boat 
was  doomed  to  suffer  accident.  Early  in  the 
descent,  some  of  the  men  lost  their  poles,  through 


36  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

jamming  them  between  rocks  and,  being  unable 
to  release  them,  could  not  control  the  movements 
of  the  stern.  Consequently,  the  boat  suddenly 
turned  cross- wise  to  the  current  and  was  thrown 
heavily  on  the  side  of  a  rock,  where  she  hung 
balanced  amidships.  The  force  of  the  collision 
was  so  great  that  the  boat  was  lifted  partially 
out  of  the  water,  and  in  slipping  back,  unfortu- 
nately, dipped  the  upstream  gunwale  under 
water.  The  boat  filled  rapidly,  but  did  not  slip 
entirely  off  the  rocks,  although  it  was  about 
three-quarters  full  of  water. 

The  anxious  onlookers  immediately  jumped 
into  their  canoes  and  were  soon  across  from  the 
other  side  and  within  a  hundred  feet  of  the  wrecked 
boat.  By  first  throwing  a  light  line,  a  heavy  one 
was  soon  stretched  from  the  boat  to  the  land, 
which  was  sufficiently  long  to  allow  the  relief 
party  to  run  out  to  the  foot  of  the  rapids  and  pull 
themselves  up  to  the  boat  with  it.  Several  trips 
were  made  and  the  most  perishable  goods  re- 
moved. By  the  use  of  the  block  and  tackle  and 
the  full  force  of  men,  the  boat  was  finally  gotten 
off  and  lowered  to  the  foot  of  the  rapids. 

By  the  time  that  the  boat,  which  was  slightly 
damaged,  was  beached  for  repairs,  the  day  was 
well  advanced.  In  the  other  boat  and  canoes  we 
proceeded  down  the  river  about  five  miles  and 
camped  for  the  night. 

The  next  morning,  early,  a  trip  was  made  back 


OFF  FOR  MOOSE  FACTORY  37 

with  the  motor  boat  and  several  of  the  canoes 
to  Black  Feather  Portage.  By  noon,  the  complete 
fleet,  boats  and  canoes,  now  in  full  repair,  were 
assembled  at  the  upper  end  of  Kettle  Portage, 
which  leads  around  falls,  about  twelve  feet  high. 

The  trail  is  only  about  three  hundred  feet  long 
and  crosses  rough  rocks,  in  which  many  pot-holes 
have  been  worn,  hence  the  name. 

This  was  the  first  time  we  had  to  take  the  boats 
out  of  the  water,  but  after  a  number  of  slippery, 
poplar  logs  had  been  laid  across  the  trail,  little 
difficulty  was  found  in  pulling  the  boats  over  to 
the  other  side.  All  the  supplies  and  equipment 
were  gotten  over  the  trail  by  the  evening  and  we 
remained  there  overnight. 

In  the  morning  we,  the  members  of  the  chief 
party,  decided  to  proceed,  accompanied  by  the 
mining  engineer,  his  assistant,  and  four  Indians, 
to  the  portage  at  Conjuring  House  Falls,  where 
considerable  clearing  of  the  trail  had  to  be  done 
before  the  wagon  could  be  used  to  draw  the 
boats  across.  The  balance  of  the  party  were 
instructed  to  follow  with  the  motor  boats  and 
the  major  part  of  the  supplies.  The  river  be- 
tween Kettle  and  Conjuring  House  portages 
being  very  shallow  and  full  of  rapids,  it  was 
apparent  that  the  supplies  would  have  to  be 
brought  down  in  relays,  and  hence  we  could 
clear  a  large  part  of  the  trail  before  their 
arrival. 


38  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

An  early  morning  start  brought  us  through 
many  dangerous  rapids  to  our  destination,  a 
distance  of  nearly  twenty  miles,  by  noon.  As 
soon  as  dinner  was  over  the  guides  began  the 
return  journey  to  Kettle  Portage  for  another  load, 
and  we  "packed"  our  dunnage  over  the  trail  to 
what  proved  to  be  an  ideal  spot  for  a  camp  on  the 
side  of  a  hill,  where  the  trail  runs  down  to  the 
river. 

The  afternoon  was  fearfully  hot,  but  fortunately 
the  flies  had  not  yet  appeared  in  great  numbers, 
and  the  work  of  brushing  the  trail  was  by  no  means 
unpleasant. 

The  following  day  being  Sunday,  we  took  ad- 
vantage of  it  to  get  rested  and  to  visit  the  falls 
and  the  canon.  Nowhere  on  the  whole  river  does 
the  scenery  compare  with  that  at  this  place,  and 
on  each  trip  we  have  visited  it  with  renewed 
interest  and  admiration. 

At  the  close  of  the  day,  we  stood  again  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  beyond  the  falls,  on  the  brink  of 
the  precipice  which  forms  the  wall  of  the  canon. 
The  sun  was  sinking,  a  great  red  ball  of  fire,  beyond 
the  tree  tops  far  along  the  river  valley.  Fluffy, 
silken  clouds  were  hovering,  golden,  in  the  last 
rays  of  sunlight,  and  darker  clouds  beyond  formed 
a  background  of  purple.  It  was  a  royal  sky,  a 
fitting  throne  for  the  monarch  who  created  those 
beautiful  hills  and  magnificent  waterfalls. 

As  far  as  eye  could  see,  lay  the  rolling  country, 


OFF  FOR  MOOSE  FACTORY  39 

thickly  wooded,  although  in  places  the  ravages  of 
fire  were  all  too  plainly  visible,  leaving  naked 
hills,  which  seemed  to  blush  as  their  seared  brown 
tops  reddened  in  the  sunset  glow. 

Far  into  the  distance,  through  the  valley, 
wound  the  shimmering  stream,  as  it  glided  along 
into  turbulence,  here  to  melt  into  the  shady  dark- 
ness of  a  bend,  there  to  reappear  again,  a  silver 
line,  which  seemed  to  come  and  go,  even  as  the 
flickering  stars,  when  the  twilight  is  deepening. 

Below  us  lay  the  camp,  the  smoke  lazily  curling 
from  the  evening  fire;  the  tents  nestled  amongst 
the  fresh,  green  poplars  had  an  air  of  coziness, 
a  fitting  substitute  for  the  comforts  of  the  home, 
or  even  the  luxuries  of  a  palace. 

Immediately  below  lay  the  steep-walled  canon, 
one  hundred  feet  down  to  the  rushing  waters  of 
the  cataract.  From  far  up  the  river  came  the 
waters  of  the  rapids,  plunging  madly  onward,  to 
be  divided  by  a  huge  rock,  around  which  they 
rushed  to  meet  again  at  the  falls,  a  seething,  boil- 
ing mass  of  foam  and  spray,  and  to  plunge  a 
second  time  to  a  still  lower  level.  Repeating 
this  again  and  again,  they  at  last  pass  out  of  the 
canon,  deep  and  silent,  into  the  broadening  river 
beyond. 

From  where  we  stood,  the  roar  was  deafening, 
and  as  the  darkness  gathered,  we  saw,  looming 
up  in  the  centre  of  the  canon,  the  pinnacle  of  rock 
from  which  the  place  derives  its  name.  Coupling 


40  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

our  imagination  with  that  of  the  redman  of  a 
hundred  years  ago,  we  pictured  weird  spirits 
hovering  around  this  rock,  foretelling  events  of 
good  or  ill,  and  as  we  wended  our  way  back  to 
the  camp,  it  was  with  the  wish  that  we  might 
bring  back  some  of  the  long-departed  spirits  of 
these  simple  ' '  children  of  nature, ' '  that  they  might 
recount  some  of  the  old  legends  of  the  Conjuring 
House. 

Next  day  we  went  back  a  mile  to  another  port- 
age, over  which  we  expected  the  boats  would 
have  to  be  carried,  and  as  we  were  cutting  out, 
almost  the  last  log,  the  boats  began  to  arrive. 
The  canoes  ran  the  rapids  with  half-loads,  but 
the  motor  boats  were  emptied  and  lowered  down 
close  to  the  shore,  with  the  help  of  ropes  and  poles. 
No  chances  could  be  taken  here,  for  immediately 
below,  the  rapids  end  in  abrupt  falls,  which  would 
prove  disastrous  to  any  boat  that  became  uncon- 
trollable. 

The  meeting  of  the  divided  parties  was  the 
occasion  for  recounting  stories  of  events  that  had 
occurred  since  they  parted.  One  that  concerned 
all,  was  .the  swamping  of  one  of  the  motor  boats 
in  a  rapid.  Engineman  Johnston  and  George, 
one  of  the  guides,  were  making  a  trip  of  about  ten 
miles,  on  the  previous  Saturday  evening.  Un- 
fortunately, in  the  gathering  darkness  of  the 
evening,  the  pilot  failed  to  detect  a  slightly  sub- 
merged rock  and  ran  the  bow  of  his  boat  hard  upon 


The  Conjurers'  House  Canon 


The  Conjurers'  House 


OFF  FOR  MOOSE  FACTORY  41 

it.  The  stern  dipped,  she  filled  with  water,  and 
then  listed  to  one  side,  throwing  a  good  part  of 
her  cargo  overboard.  She,  however,  remained 
fast  on  the  rock  until  relief  came. 

In  the  meantime,  George,  the  pilot,  who  pre- 
ferred to  risk  getting  to  land,  rather  than  stop 
with  the  boat,  jumped  into  the  water  and  luckily 
succeeded  in  reaching  the  shore.  He  was  then 
eight  miles  from  the  camp,  which  he  attempted 
to  reach  in  his  bare  feet,  having  left  his  boots  in 
the  boat,  but  finally  had  to  give  up,  and  lying 
down,  waited  for  the  coming  of  daylight. 

Johnston  on  the  other  hand  stayed  by  the  boat, 
standing  for  fourteen  hours  on  the  rock  that  had 
caused  the  accident.  The  pedestal  of  this  living 
piece  of  statuary  was  only  about  two  feet  square. 
When  interviewed,  subsequently,  Johnston  said 
that  he  had  spent  the  night  in  the  singing  of 
hymns  and  in  meditating  on  the  merits  of  his 
past  life,  an  experience  which  has  no  doubt  been 
of  profit  to  him. 

By  this  accident  we  were  deprived  of  about 
fifteen  hundred  pounds  of  bacon,  flour,  and  dried 
fruit,  which  proved  to  be  a  loss  that  could  not  be 
entirely  replaced. 

The  supplies  and  canoes  having  been  portaged 
across  the  Conjuring  House  Trail,  preparations 
were  made  for  the  moving  of  the  motor  boats. 
The  broad-tired  wagon  was  set  up,  with  extended 
reach,  and  a  boat  placed  thereon  and  securely 


42  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

lashed.  A  fifty-foot  hawser  was  then  fastened 
to  the  tongue  and  everything  was  ready  for  the 
start.  Half  of  the  party  pulled  by  the  rope,  while 
the  rest  arranged  themselves  in  various  positions, 
to  push  the  wagon  or  to  use  the  snubbing  rope, 
when  the  rapidity  of  descent  required  it. 

The  trail  which  had  been  cleared  to  a  width  of 
twenty  feet  was  comparatively  smooth,  although 
there  were  a  few  rough,  rocky  spots.  About  five 
hundred  feet  from  the  northern  end  of  the  portage 
a  descent  of  one  hundred  feet  was  begun.  At 
this  point  further  hauling  was  unnecessary,  and 
the  men  at  the  tongue  needed  only  to  steer  the 
wagon  down  the  rugged,  winding  path,  while 
those  behind  controlled  the  speed  with  the 
snubbing  rope. 

The  moving  of  each  boat  required  about  ninety 
minutes,  and  was  done  when  the  temperature  was 
the  highest  it  had  been  that  season.  When 
the  thermometer  was  read  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  it  still  registered  84  degrees  in  the 
shade.  The  addition  to  this  heat  of  an  introduc- 
tion to  the  season's  mosquito  pest  provided  a 
strenuous  afternoon  for  the  whole  party. 

Now-  came  the  farewell  night  at  Conjuring 
House.  After  an  hour  spent  in  catching  a  fine 
string  of  pickerel,  we  ascended  the  hill  to  again 
see  the  sun  dipping  into  the  horizon  and  bathing 
the  magnificent  scenery  with  its  golden  rays. 

Early  the  next  morning  we  moved  on  to  Store 


OFF  FOR  MOOSE  FACTORY  43 

Portage,  a  distance  of  about  two  miles  beyond 
Conjuring  House,  where  our  tents  were  again 
pitched.  Here  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of  trail 
had  to  be  cleared,  a  temporary  bridge  constructed, 
and  the  boats  and  supplies  carried  over. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  after  our  arrival 
at  Store  Portage,  we  started  for  the  last  and  longest 
portage,  about  half  a  mile  distant,  which  is  known 
as  the  Long  Portage. 

Here  a  heavy  rain  of  twenty-four  hours  dura- 
tion seriously  hampered  the  clearing  of  the  trail. 
However,  we  cut  a  roadway  twenty  feet  wide  and 
a  mile  and  three-quarters  long,  and  carried  across 
the  four  and  a  half  tons  of  supplies  and  equipment, 
seven  canoes,  and  two  motor  boats,  inside  of  four 
days. 

This  and  the  two  former  portages  were  over 
high  plateaus,  with  steep  ascents  on  either  side. 
Block  and  tackle  was  used  to  raise  the  boats  on 
the  ascents  at  the  Store  and  Long  portages,  and 
on  the  latter  to  lower  them  down  to  the  river 
level,  an  all  but  vertical  drop  of  one  hundred  feet. 

The  last  portage  was  finally  crossed,  much  to 
our  delight,  and  the  services  of  the  wagon  were 
no  longer  required,  but  another  dangerous  rapid 
lay  very  close  ahead,  Hell's  Gate,  and  rightly 
named.  These  rapids  must  of  necessity  be  run, 
owing  to  the  steep,  rocky  hills  on  both  sides  of 
the  river,  over  which  it  would  be  impossible  to 
portage  anything. 


44  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

The  water,  which  at  first  had  been  very  high, 
was  becoming  noticeably  lower  in  the  river  and 
we  were  growing  anxious  regarding  the  crossing 
of  the  motor  boats  over  the  Moose  River  flats. 
It  was  therefore  decided  to  have  them  start  for 
Moose  Factory  without  delay,  and  leave  the 
canoes  to  follow  with  the  remaining  supplies. 

As  we  had  to  visit  the  gypsum  beds,  which  are 
situated  on  the  Moose  River,  about  thirty-five 
miles  from  Moose  Factory,  we  planned  to  go  on 
one  of  the  motor  boats,  taking  engineer  Strong 
and  his  assistant  with  us. 

As  a  full  cargo  could  not  be  taken  through  Hell's 
Gate,  it  was  arranged  to  have  the  canoes  accom- 
pany us  with  small  loads  through  the  rapids,  and 
transfer  their  loads  to  the  boats  at  a  point  below. 

The  running  of  Hell's  Gate  Rapids  had  been  the 
subject  of  almost  daily  discussion,  since  the  com- 
mencement of  the  trip,  and  the  preparing  of  the 
boats  and  the  selection  of  their  crews  caused  no 
little  excitement. 

Isaiah,  who  had  made  a  trip  through  the  rapids 
on  the  previous  afternoon,  gave  the  canoemen 
instructions  by  which  to  follow  the  best  course, 
especially  as  to  the  crossing  and  recrossing  of  the 
river  to  avoid  dangerous  currents,  etc. 

Everyone  being  ready,  the  start  was  made. 
Leaving  the  small  bay  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  the 
portage,  in  which  there  is  a  strong  back  current, 
we  made  a  dash  across  the  swift  water  at  the  foot 


Hauling  a  Motorboat  over  Conjurers'  House  Trail 


The  Long  Portage  Rapids 


OFF  FOR  MOOSE  FACTORY  45 

of  the  Long  Rapid,  below  which  a  bend  in  the 
river  ends  in  the  first  chute,  to  a  backwater  on  the 
other  side.  This  course  was  necessary  in  order 
to  avoid  being  drawn  into  a  strong  whirlpool 
which  occurs  at  the  right-hand  side  of  the  first 
chute. 

It  was  with  difficulty  we  stemmed  the  strong 
current,  but  the  cut  was  made  successfully.  The 
most  exciting  moment  came  when  we  started  to 
run  the  first  chute.  The  whirlpool  was  avoided 
and,  although  the  waves  were  large  and  irregular, 
we  took  little  water  in  the  descent,  except  as 
spray,  which  was  thrown  completely  over  us, 
when  a  large  wave  would  be  struck. 

The  succeeding  chutes  were  equally  well  taken, 
the  pilot  showing  wonderful  skill  in  making  the 
necessary  sharp  turns,  while  passing  through  the 
"Gate,"  which  is  formed  by  two  perpendicular 
rocks,  but  a  short  distance  apart,  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  river.  The  river  bends  at  the  "Gate" 
and  the  water  rushes  through  with  tremendous 
rapidity. 

All  the  canoes  and  the  other  motor  boat  got 
through  safely  and,  being  in  the  lead,  we  were 
privileged  to  watch  their  descent,  which  was 
equally  as  exciting  as  our  own,  and  undoubtedly 
the  most  thrilling  experience  on  the  river  trip. 


CHAPTER  V 
Down  the  Moose  Valley  to  the  Sea 

|T  a  point  about  two  miles  below  Hell's 
Gate  the  goods  were  reloaded  into 
the  motor  boats,  which  were  to  pro- 
ceed, each  towing  a  canoe.  The 
other  five  crews,  with  their  canoes, 
returned  for  the  rest  of  the  supplies. 

The  afternoon's  trip  was  made  without  inci- 
dent, save  for  the  fact  that  it  was  the  first  long 
run  of  the  boats  in  smooth  water.  A  short  call 
was  made  at  the  kaolin  deposit,  about  five  miles 
below  Coal  Brook.  These  claims  have  been 
staked  and  are  being  developed  by  a  Montreal 
syndicate,  and  give  promise  of  great  value  as  soon 
as  transportation  facilities  are  available. 

Camp  was  made  that  night  about  fifteen  miles 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Wabiskagami  River,  a 
stream  which  we  had  good  reason  to  remember, 
for  on  a  previous  trip  we  spent  a  day  in  ascending 
it,  a  distance  which  required  but  two  hours  to 
descend  on  the  following  day. 

The  next  day  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Opa- 
zatiki  River  and  ran  a  number  of  small  and  in- 
significant rapids,  amongst  these  the  Blacksmith's 

.  46 


DOWN  MOOSE  y ALLEY  TO  THE  SEA    47 

Rapids,  where  we  stopped  to  examine  some  thin 
bands  of  lignite  in  the  clay  bank,  of  which  the 
Indians  had  told  us. 

The  next  camp  was  about  fifty  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Opazatiki  River.  Two  hours  on 
the  following  morning  brought  us  to  the  junction 
of  the  Missinaibi  and  Mattagami  rivers,  whose 
waters  unite  to  form  the  Moose  River.  The  union 
of  these  creates  a  broad  expanse  of  water,  and 
beginning  with  Portage  Island,  at  the  junction, 
a  chain  of  islands  extends  to  the  gypsum  beds, 
about  twelve  miles  below. 

We  arrived  at  the  gypsum  beds  at  ten  o'clock, 
and  after  an  early  dinner  the  Indians  proceeded 
with  the  boats  to  Moose  Factory,  reaching  there 
that  evening,  but  our  party  of  four  remained, 
retaining  one  canoe. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  the  balance 
of  the  expedition  passed  our  camp  and,  stopping 
for  a  few  minutes,  gave  us  the  particulars  of  an 
accident,  which  cost  us  several  hundred  pounds 
of  supplies,  and  nearly  the  lives  of  two  Indians. 

On  the  day  after  our  departure  from  Long 
Portage,  two  of  the  Indians,  John  and  David, 
were  running  the  Hell's  Gate  Rapids,  and  care- 
lessly allowed  themselves  to  be  drawn  into  the 
whirlpool.  The  canoe  was  almost  immediately 
swamped. 

David,  who  could  swim  a  little,  tried  to  reach 
the  shore,  and  was  rescued  more  dead  than  alive 


48  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

by  two  men  in  a  canoe.  John  held  tightly  to  the 
half  submerged  craft,  and  was  carried  in  this 
manner  to  a  point  near  the  foot  of  the  rapids, 
where  he  was  rescued  in  an  almost  exhausted 
condition.  The  boys  had  quite  recovered  from 
the  effects  of  their  experience  and  were  with  the 
rest  of  the  party.  This  party  continued  on  their 
way  to  Moose  Factory,  reaching  there  the  following 
evening. 

Up  to  this  time  we  had  been  suffering  severely 
from  the  intense  heat  and  the  ravages  of  the  black- 
flies  and  mosquitoes.  On  Sunday,  June  the 
twenty-third,  the  weather  changed  very  suddenly 
with  a  complete  reversal  of  the  wind  from  south 
to  north.  The  temperature  had  been  very  high  all 
morning  and  dropped  nearly  to  the  freezing  point 
within  a  few  minutes.  This  was  a  very  strong 
reminder  that  we  were  within  the  precincts  of 
Hudson  Bay,  where  sudden  changes  are  very 
common. 

We  started  for  Moose  Factory  on  Monday  morn- 
ing, and  arrived  there  early  the  following  morning. 
Considerable  work  had  to  be  done  in  repairing 
the  motor  boats  for  their  long  cruise  on  the  Bay. 
Instructions  had  been  given  the  enginemen  to 
have  this  work  done  by  the  time  of  our  arrival, 
so  that  an  immediate  start  might  be  made. 

Great  was  our  surprise  when  we  arrived  to  find 
that,  despite  the  fact  that  the  boats  had  been  on 
the  beach  since  the  previous  Friday,  none  of  the 


Kaolin  Deposit  on  the  Missinaibi  River 


Gypsum  Beds  on  the  Moose  River 


DOWN  MOOSE  y ALLEY  TO  THE  SEA    49 

work  had  been  done.  This  was  one  of  the  condi- 
tions that  helped  to  make  the  week  a  busy  one, 
and  we  were  detained  at  the  Post  until  the  next 
Monday  morning. 

Immediately  upon  our  arrival,  we  were  informed 
that  a  bad  feeling  existed  between  the  Whites  and 
Indians  of  the  party,  and  also  that  several  of  the 
men  had  threatened  to  return,  rather  than  put 
out  to  sea  in  the  small  motor  boats. 

It  was  at  once  evident  that  there  was  a  hard 
problem  to  solve  in  holding  the  Whites  and  Indians 
together  without  friction,  and  in  providing  a 
means  of  transportation  acceptable  to  all. 

It  is  a  strange  anomaly  of  the  North  Country, 
that  circumstances  often  compel  the  employer 
to  bow,  at  least  temporarily,  to  the  dictates  of  the 
employed,  no  matter  how  unreasonable  they  may 
be,  consequently  the  greatest  diplomacy  must  be 
resorted  to,  for  an  ill-chosen  word  might  cause 
the  disruption  of  a  party,  and  defeat  the  aims  of 
an  expedition. 

It  had  been  the  understanding  that  the  head 
guide,  Isaiah,  and  his  son,  Henry,  should  accom- 
pany us  on  the  trip  up  the  Bay,  one  in  each  motor 
boat,  as  they  were  familiar  with  the  route,  having 
been  our  guides  on  the  bay  in  1907. 

As  was  originally  planned,  the  rest  of  the  guides 
were  to  return  to  Chapleau,  but  now  as  we  had 
chartered  a  York  sailboat  for  the  season,  Isaiah 
refused  to  go  unless  all  of  them  were  engaged  for 


50  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

the  trip  and  a  local  man  procured  to  pilot  the 
York  boat.  Rather  than  venture  on  the  journey 
without  guides,  and  as  no  others  were  obtainable, 
we  acceded  to  their  unreasonable  demands. 

Owing  to  the  loss  of  a  large  quantity  of  supplies 
on  the  river  trip,  we  were  forced  to  compile  new 
lists,  as  the  same  kind  of  food  could  not  be  ob- 
tained at  Moose  Factory.  However,  we  were 
able  to  procure  sufficient  provisions  to  make  up 
for  our  losses. 

As  had  been  our  original  intention,  we  decided 
to  travel  in  one  of  the  motor  boats,  with  engine- 
man  McFarlane,  Isaiah,  and  Henry.  Mr.  Strong, 
his  assistant,  engineman  Johnston,  and  two  Indians 
were  given  the  other  motor  boat.  The  balance 
of  the  party  were  to  take  the  York  boat,  accom- 
panied by  three  Indians. 

Despite  the  fact  that  so  many  preparations 
had  to  be  made  for  the  long  voyage,  we  were  able 
to  devote  some  time  to  the  renewal  of  our  ac- 
quaintance with  the  people  of  Moose  Factory 
and  those  of  the  Revillon  Post,  northward  on 
the  mainland. 

The  absence  of  many  faces  was  noticeable. 
Prominent  among  those  who  had  left  the  town 
were  Archdeacon  Rennison,  and  Mr.  Patterson, 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Factor  in  1907. 
The  former  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  W.  Hay- 
thornthwaite,  and  the  latter  by  Mr.  J.  G.  Mowatt. 

Several   visits   were   made   to   the    Industrial 


DOWN  MOOSE  VALLEY  TO  THE  SEA    51 

School,  and  to  the  gardens  adjoining  it,  as  well  as 
to  those  of  the  mission  house.  Much  credit  is 
due  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Haythornthwaite  and  the 
nurse,  Miss  Barker,  for  their  fine  collection  of 
vegetables,  consisting  of  potatoes,  turnips,  carrots, 
beets,  cabbages,  cauliflower,  tomatoes,  etc.,  many 
of  which  we  were  privileged  to  test  on  our  return 
to  Moose  Factory,  at  the  close  of  the  season. 

The  Industrial  School  was  in  charge  of  Miss 
Johnston  of  Clarenceville,  Quebec,  assisted  by 
Miss  Taylor,  a  young  English  lady.  During  our 
short  stay  we  were  entertained  most  hospitably 
a  number  of  times  by  these  ladies,  and  we  were 
much  impressed  by  the  great  interest  and 
enthusiasm  they  displayed  in  their  work. 

Many  of  the  Industrial  School  pupils  had  re- 
turned to  their  homes  for  the  summer  season,  and 
there  were  only  fourteen  resident  at  the  time. 
Many  of  the  children  of  the  town  attend  the 
mission  day  school.  In  the  regular  season  the 
attendance  is  probably  from  forty  to  fifty. 

It  was  somewhat  of  a  surprise,  when  visiting 
the  Revillon  Freres'  Post,  to  find  a  large  increase 
of  buildings  over  those  of  1907.  A  whole  line 
of  good  substantial  houses,  built  principally  for 
their  French  Canadian  employees,  stretches  along 
the  river  front  for  nearly  a  mile  northward  from 
the  residence  of  the  inspector,  Mr.  Y.  Draulette. 

As  we  have  stated  previously,  these  people 
have  shown  a  great  deal  of  foresight  in  the  selec- 


52  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

tion  of  their  town  site,  for,  with  the  exception  of 
a  mile  and  a  half,  they  have  the  advantage  of  a 
twenty -foot  channel  to  the  Bay. 

As  on  the  occasion  of  our  former  visit,  Mr.  Halle 
was  in  charge,  and  received  us  with  politeness  and 
friendliness,  so  characteristic  of  the  French.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Draulette  had  left  on  the  Company's 
steamer  Amelia  for  Strutton,  the  location  of  the 
wholesale  house,  on  the  day  previous  to  our  arrival 
in  Moose  Factory,  to  remain  there  until  the 
autumn. 

On  the  Saturday  previous  to  the  day  of  sailing, 
all  the  men  were  assembled  in  a  warehouse  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  in  which  our  goods  were 
stored,  and  a  list  of  the  supplies,  required  by 
each  party  for  the  season,  was  handed  to  the  one 
in  charge,  with  instructions  to  select  them. 

The  supplies  being  distributed  were  carried 
down  to  the  dock  and  loaded  on  to  the  boats, 
after  which  the  latter  were  taken  out  and  anchored 
in  the  channel,  preparatory  to  starting  on  Monday 
morning. 


The  Moose  River  Post  of  Revillon  Freres 


The  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Buildings,  Moose  Factory 


CHAPTER  VI 
Moose  Factory  to  Rupert  House 


ITH  great  enthusiasm,  we  welcomed 
the  day  on  which  we  were  once 
again  to  resume  our  journey.  Mon- 
day, July  the  first,  was  a  beautiful 
day,  bright  and  sunny,  and  a  gentle 
breeze  was  blowing.  Although  the  camp  was 
astir  at  an  early  hour,  we  did  not  raise  anchor 
until  half -past  eight  o'clock,  owing  to  such  delays 
as  are  always  incident  to  an  initial  start. 

It  was  a  gay  sight,  no  doubt,  as  our  small  flotilla 
started  down  the  river  in  Indian  file,  with  our  own 
boat  leading,  and  the  York  boat  with  its  old- 
fashioned  sail  bringing  up  the  rear. 

Almost  the  whole  population  of  Moose  Factory 
seemed  to  be  lined  up  on  the  edge  of  the  river 
bank,  to  wish  us  bon  voyage,  and  the  party,  eager 
with  the  expectation  of  new  experiences,  responded 
heartily. 

The  passage  down  the  river  was  uneventful, 
except  that  the  wind  soon  began  to  fall,  and  the 
York  boat  was  gradually  left  behind.  The  lower 
Moose  River  maintains  the  same  general  character 
as  its  upper  part,  dotted  with  islands,  broad  and 

53 


54  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

shallow,  except  in  the  channel.  The  river  banks 
are  high  and  lined  with  a  fair  growth  of  spruce, 
balsam,  and  poplar,  until  within  a  few  miles  of  the 
Bay,  where  the  shores  become  low  and  wet  and 
the  trees  give  way  to  willow  scrub. 

From  the  river  eastward,  the  southern  coast  of 
James  Bay  is  desolate  and  drear.  The  shores  are 
low  and  boggy,  while  the  beaches  are  usually 
formed  of  large  rounded  boulders,  and  so  gentle 
is  their  slope  that  in  some  places  in  Hannah  Bay, 
during  ebb-tide,  the  water  recedes  a  distance  of 
several  miles. 

Voyageurs  along  this  coast  may  suddenly  find 
themselves  in  shallow  water,  and  ere  they  have 
time  to  reach  deeper,  the  tide  may  leave  them 
stranded,  high  and  dry,  either  on  a  rock  pile  or  a 
mud  flat,  to  their  disgust  if  the  weather  be  good, 
or  to  their  peril  if  the  incoming  tide  brings  a  storm. 
Indeed,  these  waters  are  considered  the  most 
dangerous  of  the  Bay,  and  when  we  had  crossed 
them  and  reached  the  Quebec  coast,  we  felt  that 
the  most  dangerous  part  of  the  trip  was  over, 
until  we  returned  to  the  same  point  on  our  home- 
ward journey. 

After  the  mouth  of  the  Moose  River  is  passed, 
there  are  no  islands  until  Big  Stone  is  reached, 
on  the  west  coast  of  Hannah  Bay,  near  its  most 
northerly  point.  On  this  island  we  had  dinner, 
the  first  meal  of  the  voyage.  It  is  typical  of  a 
large  number  of  the  islands  of  James  Bay,  com- 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  RUPERT  HOUSE  55 

posed  of  large  boulders,  heaped  up  into  rounded 
humps,  which  attain  no  great  elevation  above  the 
sea. 

The  Indian's  fear  of  losing  sight  of  terra  firma 
was  well  exemplified  during  the  passage  of  Hannah 
Bay.  The  day  continued  a  perfect  one  and  the 
water  was  an  oily  calm,  but  instead  of  cutting 
across  from  Big  Stone  to  East  Point,  the  north- 
east extremity  of  Hannah  Bay,  about  eighteen 
miles  of  open  water,  they  followed  a  course  parallel 
to  the  shore,  and  at  no  great  distance  from  it, 
despite  the  obvious  danger  incurred. 

In  fact,  they  hugged  the  shore  so  closely  that 
we  entered  the  fresh  water  of  the  Harricanaw 
River.  This  river  enters  the  most  southerly 
point  of  Hannah  Bay.  Physically  it  is  much  like 
the  Moose,  with  low  willowy  shores  and  large 
high  islands,  for  about  seven  miles  from  salt 
water,  but  it  is  not  nearly  so  large. 

Our  first  camp  on  salt  water  was  made  on  the 
Plover  Islands,  about  sunset.  These  are  the 
only  islands  on  the  east  shore  of  Hannah  Bay. 
At  low  tide  they  are  very  large,  stretching  out 
for  many  miles  in  every  direction,  as  great  mud 
flats.  At  high  tide  there  are  only  a  few  spots 
sufficiently  large  for  camping  purposes,  and  con- 
sequently no  fresh  water  can  be  found  upon  them. 

The  next  morning,  porpoises  were  seen  for  the 
first  time.  While  standing  on  a  large  boulder 
looking  eagerly  westward  for  signs  of  the  York 


56  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

boat,  which  had  not  yet  appeared,  we  saw  what 
at  first  seemed  to  be  breakers  on  a  distant  shoal, 
but  soon  proved  to  be  a  school  of  porpoises  gam- 
boling about  in  the  water. 

We  were  unable  to  start  early  by  reason  of  a 
stiff  breeze  which  arose  about  daylight.  When 
it  had  subsided,  a  little  later,  the  tide  was  out 
and  the  boats  were  aground.  We  accordingly 
had  to  await  high  tide,  and  it  was  about  one 
o'clock  before  the  water  was  sufficiently  deep  to 
allow  the  motor  boats  to  pull  out. 

From  the  time  of  our  sailing  from  Moose  Factory 
until  three  o'clock  of  that  afternoon,  no  marks  of 
civilization  had  been  visible.  Considerable  excite- 
ment was  aroused  by  the  looming  up  of  a  flag  in 
the  distance,  waving  above  the  trees  along  the 
snore.  As  we  drew  nearer  it  proved  to  be  floating 
from  the  mast  of  a  survey  tower,  set  up  by  the 
engineers  of  the  Hydrographic  Department,  who 
were  then  charting  this  portion  of  the  Bay. 

When  the  tower  was  reached,  a  stop  for  dinner 
was  made.  We  had  watched  anxiously  for  some 
sign  of  the  York  boat,  and  .observations  were 
taken  from  the  tower,  but  without  results. 

It  was  a  beautiful,  bright  day,  but  intensely 
hot  in  the  sun,  so  that  when  sailing,  we  were 
glad  to  creep  under  the  shade  of  the  canvas  boat 
covers.  One  might  well  have  thought  we  were 
in  tropical  waters,  rather  than  in  those  of  the 
"  frozen  north  "  (?). 


*   * 


01  >- 
CD«C 
q;  CQ 


01\ 

h 


rl 


3A/4/ 


Ul  co 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  RUPERT  HOUSE  57 

Our  supply  of  fresh  water  was  now  exhausted, 
as  the  demand  made  upon  it  had  been  severe, 
owing  to  the  intense  heat  of  the  day.  Accord- 
ingly, several  groups  went  back  into  the  bush  to 
look  for  a  stream  or  a  spring.  The  rivalry  was 
keen  among  the  thirsty  party,  as  to  who  should 
find  it  first.  Eventually,  water  was  found,  not 
in  a  stream  or  in  a  spring,  but  in  a  stagnant  pool. 
We  were  glad  to  carry  even  that  a  long  distance 
to  the  camp,  through  bush,  and  willows  still 
bearing  many  of  last  year's  withered  leaves. 
Needless  to  say,  we  had  much  less  water  and 
more  leaves  in  our  buckets  when  we  arrived 
than  when  we  started. 

This  was  a  particularly  interesting  point,  for 
we  were  then  back  in  our  own  Province,  Quebec. 
During  the  previous  month,  our  course  had  lain 
entirely  through  Northern  Ontario.  We  had 
chosen  the  Missinaibi  route  for  two  reasons: 
Firstly,  on  account  of  our  familiarity  with  it; 
secondly,  because  of  its  few  portages  and  com- 
paratively smooth  water.  These  facts  made  the 
transporting  of  boats  and  supplies  a  simpler 
proposition  than  in  the  swifter  waters  of  the 
more  easterly  rivers. 

The  shores  of  the  Ministikawatin  peninsula, 
which  divides  Hannah  Bay  from  Rupert  Bay,  are 
low  and  composed  of  great  boulders  lying  in  the 
utmost  confusion.  Great,  long,  bouldery  points 
project  at  intervals  from  the  mainland,  terminat- 


58  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

ing  in  shoals,  which  extend  far  out  into  the  Bay. 
Between  these  points,  the  water  is  generally 
shallow,  consequently  sailing  there  is  dangerous. 
It  is  a  conservative  statement  to  make,  that  safe 
water  for  sailing  cannot  be  had  within  a  two -mile 
limit  of  the  shore,  and  at  that  distance  the  depth 
must  be  carefully  watched  by  sounding,  for  boats 
drawing  more  than  two  feet  of  water.  No  doubt 
this  condition  will  be  considerably  alleviated, 
when  the  chart,  which  is  now  being  prepared  for 
the  Government,  is  available  to  those  who  navigate 
these  waters. 

There  is  nothing  that  causes  so  much  concern 
to  the  navigator  of  James  Bay,  especially  of  the 
southernmost  end,  as  the  finding  of  harbours, 
and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a  real  one  does  not  exist 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Moose  River  to  that  of  Ru- 
pert Bay.  However,  there  are  a  few  places  where 
partial  protection  may  be  had  for  boats  of  light 
draught,  but  these  are  difficult  of  access,  unless 
one  is  familiar  with  their  channels  at  all  stages 
of  the  tide. 

So  much  trouble  and  worry  was  experienced 
in  finding  places  of  safety  during  our  cruise 
through  these  waters  that  we  decided  to  compile 
a  list  of  harbours,  which  it  is  hoped  may  prove 
of  value  to  future  travellers  who  journey  without 
guides.  The  list  is  based  on  personal  observation, 
and  such  information  as  could  be  obtained  from 
Factors  and  natives  of  the  country. 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  RUPERT  HOUSE  59 

The  shore  from  this  point  forward  is  lined  with 
a  thick  growth  of  spruce  and  balsam,  most  of 
which  might  be  of  value  as  pulp  wood,  and  a  small 
percentage  would  be  large  enough  for  building 
timber  or  for  lumber. 

A  short  run  during  the  balance  of  the  afternoon 
brought  us  well  in  sight  of  Wood  Island,  one  of 
the  places  we  had  planned  to  visit.  The  guides, 
evading  our  request  to  make  the  run  across  to  the 
island,  a  distance  of  about  eight  miles,  suggested 
camping  at  a  point,  midway  between  Sawayan 
and  Point  Comfort,  on  the  mainland.  We  con- 
sented to  this  and  planned  to  cross  in  the  morning. 

Fortunately,  the  tide  was  high  when  we  entered 
the  little  harbour,  formed  by  two  long,  bouldery 
points,  which  nearly  met  but  left  a  channel  wide 
enough  for  the  passing  of  a  small  boat.  Unfor- 
tunately, as  we  afterward  learned,  the  water 
receded  entirely  from  the  harbour  ( ?)  at  low  tide. 

We  pitched  our  tent  in  the  edge  of  the  bush  and 
had  a  most  comfortable  camp  as  there  was  plenty 
of  firewood  and  fresh  water. 

An  early  call  in  the  morning,  half  past  three 
o'clock,  brought  us  to  consciousness,  after  a  rest- 
ful night's  sleep.  Packing  our  dunnage  before 
breakfast,  we  made  ready  for  the  start. 

It  was  a  pleasant  surprise  to  find  that  the  York 
boat  had  caught  up  with  us  during  the  night,  and 
was  anchored  off  the  point,  while  the  crew  had 
slept  on  the  deck  of  an  old  scow,  which  had  been 


60  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

cast  up  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  point  to  the 
one  on  which  we  were  camped. 

It  had  evidently  been  planned  by  the  guides 
that  this  should  be  a  meeting  point,  and  Isaiah's 
actions  of  the  night  before  testified  strongly  to 
that  effect.  While  we  slept,  they  had  no  doubt 
held  a  consultation,  for  when  Isaiah  was  ques- 
tioned as  to  whether  he  were  ready  to  cro^s  to 
Wood  Island,  he  replied,  "Not  me."  The  pilot 
of  the  York  boat  was  then  told  to  proceed  on  his 
course  to  Eastmain  River,  taking  advantage  of 
the  fair  wind  that  was  then  blowing,  but  he  curtly 
replied  that  he  did  not  know  that  course  and  was 
taking  the  boat  to  Rupert  House.  He  was  then 
shown  Sherrick  Mount,  that  was  plainly  visible, 
looming  up  but  a  few  miles  across  Rupert  Bay, 
and  told  that  the  course  led  to  it  and  then  up  the 
coast.  He  obdurately  refused  to  discuss  the 
matter,  although  he  had  engaged  as  pilot  of 
the  York  boat  for  the  entire  trip. 

This  was  now  but  the  third  day  that  the  party 
had  been  out  from  Moose  Factory,  and  everything 
was  at  a  standstill  for  the  time  being.  All  the 
unreasonable  demands  of  these  guides  being 
acceded  to  at  Moose  Factory,  we  imagined  that 
such  difficulties  were  finally  settled,  consequently 
this  unlooked-for  delay  on  such  a  fine  day  was 
most  annoying. 

It  was  quite  plain  to  us  that  the  guides  had 
combined  to  frustrate  our  plans,  which  were  to 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  RUPERT  HOUSE   61 

send  one  motor  boat  and  the  York  boat  ahead  to 
the  Eastmain  River  and  up  the  coast  to  Clark 
Island,  in  Hudson  Bay,  while  we  proceeded  to 
Rupert  House  and  the  mouth  of  the  Nottaway 
River,  and  thence  up  the  coast  to  Clark  Island 
and  the  Nastapoka  River. 

By  the  time  that  the  argument  was  over,  the 
tide  was  out  and  the  boats  were  aground.  To  add 
to  our  troubles,  the  heat  was  intense,  the  most 
severe  experience  during  the  trip.  To  get  relief, 
some  of  the  party  tried  a  dip  in  the  bay,  but  en-1 
countered  something  worse  than  the  heat,  the 
bulldog  flies,  which,  they  asserted,  would  pounce 
upon  them,  seize  a  portion  of  their  flesh,  somewhat 
less  than  Shylock  demanded,  and  fly  to  a  nearby 
tree  limb,  there  to  devour  it  at  their  leisure,  and, 
no  doubt,  laugh  at  the  dismay  of  their  victims. 
We  cannot  vouch  for  the  story,  but  it  is  certain 
that  clothes  were  donned  in  haste  when  the  on- 
slaught occurred,  in  some  cases  even  before  the 
plunge  had  been  taken.  These  flies  were  cer- 
tainly a  revelation  to  us.  They  were  of  enormous 
size,  gave  a  vicious  bite,  and,  although  there  were 
thousands  of  them  about  us,  were  so  active  that 
it  was  almost  impossible  to  kill  one  of  them. 

About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Isaiah 
informed  us  that  he  would  take  the  party  to 
Rupert  House  and  leave  them  there,  and  if  we 
did  not  agree  to  this,  he  and  his  men  would 
forcibly  take  sufficient  canoes  to  carry  them  back 


62  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

to  Moose  Factory.  He  was  quickly  informed  that 
we  had  no  intention  of  allowing  them  to  do  the 
latter,  but  if  he  wished  to  accompany  us  to  Rupert 
House,  he  might,  failing  to  do  this,  he  would  have 
to  look  for  other  accommodation  by  which  to 
return  to  Moose  Factory. 

As  we  have  said  before,  the  feeling  between 
the  Whites  and  Indians  was  not  of  the  most  friendly 
nature,  and  now  the  smouldering  feelings  of  aver- 
sion in  the  Whites  needed  but  a  slight  fanning 
of  approval  to  cause  them  to  break  forth  into 
flames  of  hostility.  We  discountenanced  any 
show  of  active  opposition  among  the  men. 

In  a  short  time  everything  was  ready  and  a 
start  for  Rupert  House  made,  the  three  boats 
leaving  at  the  same  time,  and  all  under  sail,  as 
there  was  a  light  breeze.  When  out  about  two 
hours,  the  boats  being  half-way  on  their  journey, 
the  wind  went  down,  and  a  fog  settled  around  us. 

After  following  a  very  circuitous  route  through 
the  fog,  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rupert 
River,  about  half  past  eight,  and  entered  it  at 
the  same  time  as  the  other  motor  boat,  which  had 
taken  a  different  course,  but  the  York  boat  did 
not  appear. 

We  reached  the  anchoring  place  off  the  Rupert 
House  pier  about  nine  o'clock.  The  chug  of  the 
motor  boat  had  attracted  much  attention  in  the 
little  town,  and  by  the  time  we  drew  up  at  the  foot 
of  the  long,  high  pier,  which  extends  well  out  into 


The  Dory  in  Sea-going  Trim 


The  Giant  Bark  Canoes  from  Waswanipi 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  RUPERT  HOUSE  63 

the  river,  nearly  all  the  people  had  assembled  to 
meet  the  incoming  craft,  and  see  who  the  intruding 
visitors  might  be. 

A  great  many  of  the  Indian  hunters  of  both 
trading  companies  were  at  the  Post,  and  these 
combined  to  make  a  large  concourse  of  people, 
who  crowded  the  pier  and  the  shores  in  the  deep- 
ening twilight.  The  dusky -faced  crowd  made 
quite  an  impression  on  the  party,  and  the  sight, 
combined  with  the  heat  of  the  evening,  was  such 
as  to  remind  one  strongly  of  that  of  a  Mexican 
town,  rather  than  one  in  the  Province  of  Quebec. 

The  York  boat  arrived  during  the  night,  and 
the  next  morning  we  were  all  assembled  in  camp 
on  the  shores  of  the  Rupert  River.  There  was 
also  anchored  in  the  river  another  York  boat, 
which  was  carrying  two  naturalists  from  the 
Carnegie  Museum  in  Pittsburg,  who  were  delayed 
by  the  desertion  of  their  Indian  guides.  In  fact 
we  were  the  third  party  of  the  season  to  have 
trouble  with  the  Indians,  which  further  convinced 
us  of  their  unreliability  as  guides.  Subsequent 
events  only  served  to  strengthen  this  conviction. 

After  consulting  with  Mr.  Nicholson,  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company's  Factor,  he  kindly  interested 
himself  on  our  behalf  and  located  two  guides, 
who  were  willing  to  accompany  the  York  boat 
throughout  the  season,  should  we  dispense  with 
the  services  of  the  other  guides. 

Later  in  the  day,  as  was  our  usual  custom,  we 


64  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

paid  our  addresses  to  the  officers  of  the  Revillon 
Freres*  Post,  and  found  that  the  manager,  Mr. 
Barbado,  was  absent,  being  at  Nemiscow,  one  of 
their  newly  established  inland  posts,  and  the 
store  in  charge  of  Mr.  Blais,  whom  we  were  to 
meet  later,  in  the  capacity  of  post  manager  at 
Fort  George.  Here  we  anticipated  meeting  Mr. 
Draulette,  who  was  expected  on  the  Amelia,  but 
that  craft  had  not  yet  been  heard  from. 

We  had  the  pleasure  of  making  the  acquaintance 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Woodall,  who  is  the  Anglican 
minister  at  Rupert  House,  while  watching  two 
giant  bark  canoes  coming  down  the  river.  They 
were  bringing  the  previous  winter's  fur  catch 
from  Waswanipi  Post,  by  way  of  the  portage  route 
to  Nemiscow,  and  thence  down  the  Rupert  River. 

In  one  of  these  canoes  came  Bishop  Anderson 
of  the  Diocese  of  Moosonee,  who  had  been  visiting 
the  parishes  from  Lake  St.  John  to  the  Bay,  the 
trip  having  occupied  nearly  two  months'  time. 
Although  he  had  travelled  so  great  a  distance  in 
this  way,  the  Bishop  stepped  from  the  canoe, 
umbrella  in  hand,  as  neatly  attired  as  though  he 
were  alighting  from  a  parlour  car.  The  flags  of 
the  place  were  raised  in  his  honour,  and  the  whole 
population  turned  out  to  meet  him. 

On  the  following  day,  we  decided  to  bring 
matters  to  a  close  with  the  guides,  accepting  what 
they  had  said  at  the  last  camp  as  final.  They 
had  then  practically  given  notice  and  discharged 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  RUPERT  HOUSE  65 

themselves  from  our  service,  hence  we  had  no 
further  responsibility  toward  them,  either  for 
provisions,  transportation,  or  wages. 

Accordingly,  everything  belonging  to  us,  then 
in  their  possession,  was  removed  to  our  own  tent. 
That  we  might  not  be  misunderstood,  we  deemed 
it  wise  to  invite  the  Bishop,  Isaiah  being  a  resident 
of  his  diocese,  to  come  and  interpret  for  him,  and 
be  present  when  we  defined  his  position,  conse- 
quent on  the  threat  of  the  day  previous.  The 
position  of  the  guides  was  anything  but  an  en- 
viable one,  as  they  were  stranded,  without  either 
canoes  or  provisions,  neither  of  which  were  easy  to 
procure. 

The  two  other  guides,  to  whom  reference  has 
already  been  made,  were  engaged  to  accompany 
the  York  boat  on  its  voyage  to  Clark  Island, 
starting  the  following  morning.  One  motor  boat 
was  to  accompany  the  York  boat  as  far  as  the 
Eastmain  River,  and  remain  there  during  the 
summer  months,  in  the  absence  of  the  party  in 
charge  of  W.  J.  Donaldson,  who  was  to  investi- 
gate the  resources  of  the  river  and  some  of  its 
branches. 

Preparations  were  under  way  early  the  next 
morning  for  the  start  of  the  two  boats,  after, 
what  we  hoped  to  be,  the  last  delay  on  the  voyage 
to  the  North.  At  eight  o'clock  farewells  were  said 
and  the  two  boats  passed  down  the  river,  leaving 
us,  our  motor  boat,  and  its  engineman,  behind,  to 

5 


66  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

follow  after  and  attend  to  certain  work  as  we 
proceeded.  Little  did  we  realize  that  the  summer 
would  be  almost  past  before  we  would  see  each 
other  again. 


'CHAPTER  VII 
A  Week  in  Rupert  Bay 

]OW  that  the  boats  and  their  crews 
were  dispatched,  there  was  time  to 
give  to  other  matters  of  importance. 
During  the  afternoon  an  investiga- 
tion of  the  quality  of  the  land  and 
timber  in  the  vicinity  of  Rupert  House  was  made. 
We  visited  the  property  of  the  Revillon  Freres 
and  found  they  had  cleared  a  large  block  of  land, 
probably  twenty-five  acres,  for  agricultural  and 
grazing  purposes.  Several  of  the  employees  of 
the  Company  had  gardens  of  their  own,  and  all 
of  them  were  in  a  fairly  flourishing  condition,  con- 
sidering the  extreme  lateness  of  the  season.  In 
these  gardens  the  chief  crop  was  potatoes.  Their 
land,  though  of  good  elevation,  requires  consider- 
able drainage,  as  the  topsoil  contains  much  vege- 
table matter,  which  collects  and  holds  the  water, 
while  the  subsoil  is  a  thick,  blue  gumbo,  practically 
impervious  to  water. 

Their  stock  consists  of  twelve  horses  and  a 
number  of  cattle,  the  latter  being  increased  from 
year  to  year.  The  horses  are  used  on  the  farm 
in  summer,  and  in  winter  for  the  transporting  of 

67 


68  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

supplies,  to  Nemiscow,  a  distance  of  one  hundred 
miles  inland. 

We  next  visited  the  property  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  and  examined  the  Factor's  garden. 
This  was  a  general  vegetable  garden.  The  soil 
was  a  light  sandy  loam,  well  drained  and,  due  to 
long,  careful  cultivation,  was  in  excellent  condition. 
Lettuce,  radishes,  turnips,  beets,  parsnips,  rhu- 
barb, etc.,  were  growing  in  the  greatest  profusion, 
and  several  potato  fields  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
were  in  an  equally  satisfactory  state. 

From  the  Post  we  proceeded  to  the  gardens  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Woodall  and  his  native  helpers.  We 
found  the  soil  to  be  of  the  same  character  as  that 
of  the  French  Company,  but  of  course  has  im- 
proved during  many  years  of  cultivation.  Here 
we  found,  also,  most  of  the  vegetables  grown  in 
more  southerly  gardens. 

The  potatoes  were  not  so  far  advanced  as  those 
in  the  garden  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  but 
this  was  due  to  the  heaviness  of  the  soil.  One 
thing  we  can  testify  to,  is  the  fine  quality  of  some 
of  Mr.  Woodall's  vegetables,  in  particular  lettuce, 
radishes,  and  rhubarb,  for  he  very  generously 
shared  with  us  those  that  were  ready  for  use,  a 
kindness  that  we  knew  well  how  to  appreciate, 
owing  to  the  lack  of  such,  during  the  two  months 
previous. 

The  season  at  Rupert  House  showed  a  wonderful 
advance  over  that  at  Moose  Factory,  for  whereas 


A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY  69 

the  Mission  people  were  only  planting  their  garden 
when  we  left,  those  of  the  former  place  were 
eating  fully-grown  radishes  and  lettuce  when 
we  arrived  there. 

The  statement  was  generally  made  that  the 
season  was  the  most  backward  in  many  years  in 
the  southern  end  of  the  Bay.  However,  it  was 
difficult  for  us  to  realize  the  fact,  for  ever  since 
coming  into  the  locality,  we  had  suffered  with 
extreme  heat,  the  temperature  being  well  into 
the  nineties. 

The  soil  at  the  Revillon  clearing  is  fairly  typical 
of  the  majority  of  that  bordering  on  the  river  up 
to  the  first  rapids.  We  did  not  cross  to  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  but  could  see  that  there  was  quite 
an  elevation  back  from  the  water.  This  ridge, 
we  were  informed,  contains  good  agricultural 
land. 

There  is  a  fringe  of  fairly  good-sized  timber 
along  the  banks  of  the  river  about  the  Post,  but 
this  gives  place  to  stunted  tamarack  a  short  dis- 
tance inland. 

The  river  opposite  the  Posts  is  about  a  mile 
wide  and  broadens  as  it  approaches  the  Bay,  which 
is  two  miles  or  more  distant.  We  were  told  that 
the  channel  is  about  eight  feet  deep  at  average 
high  tide,  and  is  very  tortuous  and  narrow,  but 
from  the  fact  that  a  boat  drawing  thirteen  feet 
of  water  entered  there,  since  our  visit,  we  think 
that  the  depth  of  channel  has  been  underestimated. 


70  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

An  event  of  interest,  although  it  is  said  of  not 
infrequent  occurrence,  took  place  one  afternoon. 
After  returning  to  the  tent  from  our  work, 
we  were  quite  surprised  to  see  a  pretty  young 
Indian  girl  rush  in  upon  us,  followed  by  a  smiling 
young  "buck"  of  twenty  summers,  and  offer  us 
her  hand.  Quite  ignorant  of  their  intentions, 
but  attracted  by  the  smile  of  the  young  lady, 
we  jumped  to  our  feet  and  shook  her  hand  cor- 
dially, hoping  that  further  greetings  might  be 
the  order  of  the  day.  We  were  frustrated  by  the 
intervention  of  the  young  man,  who  stepped  for- 
ward and  offered  his  hand,  also. 

The  salutation  over,  the  couple  turned  and 
vanished  as  quickly  as  they  had  come.  Not 
knowing  what  it  all  meant,  we  followed  them  out 
and  made  inquiries  from  some  of  the  onlookers. 
They  informed  us  that  the  bell  we  had  heard  ring- 
ing a  few  minutes  previous,  and  which  we  supposed 
to  be  calling  the  people  to  special  service  with  the 
Bishop,  was  a  wedding  bell,  and  the  visit  we  had 
just  received  was  a  time-honoured  custom  of  the 
place,  every  tent  and  wigwam  in  the  town  receiving 
a  like  call  from  the  bride  and  groom. 

The  ceremonies  of  the  day  were  brought  to  a 
close  by  a  dance  that  night,  which  lasted  to  the 
' '  wee  sma  "  hours .  This  we  knew  to  our  sorrow,  for 
our  tent  was  adjacent  to  the  carpenter  shop,  in 
which  the  celebration  was  held,  and  we  were  kept 
awake  until  daylight  by  the  noise  of  the  carousal. 


A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY  71 

On  this  same  evening,  we  were  privileged  to 
observe  a  strange  phenomenon.  When  walking 
leisurely  along  the  shore  about  sundown,  one  of 
us  observed  quite  a  heavy  cloud  rising  toward  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  between  us  and  the  sun.  It 
continued  to  rise  higher  and  increase  in  volume, 
and  we  naturally  thought  it  was  smoke  from  a 
newly-made  camp-fire.  As  the  cloud  increased 
in  size,  we  began  to  wonder  what  could  be  so 
inflammable  in  such  a  marshy  place.  A  stiff 
wind  was  blowing  up  the  river,  and  the  cloud 
gradually  drew  nearer.  As  it  did,  we  heard  a 
faint  whirring  sound,  which  increased  as  it  came 
closer,  to  one  like  that  of  mill  machinery.  By  this 
time  it  had  attracted  the  attention  of  everybody 
around,  and  there  was  much  conjecture  as  to 
what  the  phenomenon  really  was. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  whole  shore  line  was 
a  mass  of  moving  life,  for  the  cloud  was  made  up 
of  millions  of  small  green  flies,  about  the  size  of 
a  mosquito.  They  were  driven  along  by  the 
wind,  none  remaining  to  tell  us  whether  they  were 
man-eating  or  not. 

Our  attention  was  suddenly  diverted  from  the 
foregoing  incident  by  the  appearing  of  a  ship 
steaming  up  the  Bay  towards  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  Her  progress  was  very  slow  while  crossing 
the  bar,  on  account  of  the  crookedness  of  the 
channel.  She  proved  to  be  the  Amelia,  the  one- 
hundred-ton  steamer  that  plies  between  the  whole- 


72  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

sale  house  at  Strutton  Island  and  the  various 
Revillon  Posts. 

Seeing  the  Amelia  again  was  like  meeting  an 
old  friend,  as  on  our  previous  trip  we  had  sailed 
ahead  of  her  for  a  whole  afternoon  on  her  maiden 
voyage  into  the  Bay.  That  occasion  was  a  very 
unusual  one  for  this  coast  and  it  is  doubtful  if  the 
same  thing  had  ever  occurred  there  before,  three 
steamers  sailing  together,  the  Stord,  the  Eric,  and 
the  Amelia.  That  night  we  all  dropped  anchor 
together  at  Fort  George. 

The  coming  of  the  Company's  steamer  is  the 
most  important  event  of  the  season  at  any  of  the 
Posts.  When  the  usual  time  for  its  arrival  comes, 
every  Indian  who  is  the  possessor  of  a  telescope 
or  glass  of  any  description  keeps  it  in  the  most 
convenient  place,  and  when  he  has  any  time  to 
spare  he  may  be  seen,  glass  in  hand,  peering  sea- 
ward from  the  dock,  or  some  other  place  of  vantage 
for  a  first  glimpse  of  smoke. 

When  the  steamer  is  sighted  the  news  of  her 
coming  spreads  like  wildfire,  the  Factor  being  the 
first  to  receive  it,  so  that  the  post  flag  may  be 
run  up  to  welcome  the  officials  who  may  be  aboard 
and  bringing  the  first  mail  the  residents  have  had 
for  several  months.  By  the  time  that  the  boat 
reaches  its  anchorage,  every  man,  woman,  and 
child  has  assembled  to  welcome  the  visitors. 

The  excitement  was  no  less  than  usual  on  this 
occasion,  and  it  proved  an  interesting  experience 


A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY  73 

to  mingle  with  the  stolid-faced  crowd.  Even  the 
Husky  dogs  seemed  bent  on  celebration,  and  we 
were  privileged  to  witness  several  combats  between 
them. 

The  life  of  an  Indian's  Husky  dog  is  probably 
less  to  be  desired  than  that  of  any  other  creature. 
He  is  distinctly  a  cur  in  every  sense  of  the  word, 
the  progeny  of  a  mongrel  ancestry,  half  domestic, 
half  wild,  the  latter  due  to  his  close  relationship 
to  the  wolf.  He  is  born  under  mean  conditions, 
his  life  is  made  up  of  acts  of  meanness,  by  him 
and  to  him,  and  it  is  almost  certain  he  will  form 
food  for  his  kin  if  his  life  closes  while  he  is  in 
harness.  In  his  infant  days  he  provides  amuse- 
ment and  exercise  for  the  little  Indian  children, 
who  are  supplied  with  the  largest  stick  they  can 
swing  with  which  to  beat  the  poor  fellow  unmerci- 
fully, until  he  is  able  to  make  a  safe  retreat.  His 
whole  life  is  a  struggle  for  existence,  for  when  his 
mother  ceases  to  provide  for  him,  he  is  left  pretty 
much  to  seek  his  own  livelihood,  whether  it  is 
gotten  honestly  or  dishonestly.  As  his  owner 
seldom  provides  him  with  food,  he  is  ever  on  the 
alert  to  secure  it,  by  fair  means  or  foul,  and  who 
can  blame  him,  poor  creature? 

When  on  our  former  trip  to  the  country,  we 
usually  slept  aboard  the  yacht  or  at  the  post  houses, 
consequently  we  were  not  brought  into  such  close 
touch  with  the  dogs  as  on  this  occasion.  This 
time  we  received  a  great  deal  of  attention  from 


74  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

them,  and  had  the  opportunity  of  becoming  much 
better  acquainted. 

In  going  from  one  Post  to  another  we  found 
that  the  propensities  of  the  Indian  dog  are  pretty 
much  one  and  the  same.  The  exact  nature  of 
these  will  be  revealed  as  the  story  proceeds. 

While  at  Moose  Factory,  they  made  us  visits 
in  a  very  unceremonious  manner.  In  fact  they 
seemed  to  prefer  calling  when  we  were  absent. 
At  that  time  our  own  tent  had  no  connection  with 
that  of  the  cook,  consequently  their  visits  were 
attended  with  but  few  results,  either  to  them  or 
to  us. 

At  Rupert  House  we  were  given  every  oppor- 
tunity to  know  them  better.  Our  tent  was 
pitched  on  the  sandy  beach  of  the  Rupert  River, 
close  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  store, 
and  was  surrounded  by  many  wigwams  and 
marquees  of  the  visiting  Indians,  who  as  usual 
were  present  in  whole  families.  These  families 
are  generally  made  up  of  three  or  four  generations, 
with  their  dogs.  When  twenty  or  thirty  families 
gather  with  their  dogs,  very  often  six  or  eight  of 
the  latter  per  family,  as  in  this  case,  a  lively  time 
might  naturally  be  expected,  especially  from  the 
canines,  who  are  all  intent  on  the  same  thing — 
plunder. 

Up  to  the  time  of  our  separation  with  Isaiah, 
who  was  cook  as  well  as  guide,  the  provisions 
had  been  stored  in  his  tent,  but  on  that  day  we 


The  Factor's  Garden,  Rupert  House 


Rupert  House 


A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY  75 

had  transferred  them  to  our  own  tent  for  safe 
keeping,  and  mindful  of  the  surrounding  dangers, 
we  fortified  ourselves  as  securely  as  pegs,  boxes, 
and  bags  of  heavy  provisions  would  permit. 

Alas!  how  futile  were  our  precautions.  While 
the  dance  was  proceeding  near  at  hand,  and  we 
were  tossing  restlessly,  unable  to  sleep  because  of 
the  racket,  behold  the  enemy  came.  A  noise  was 
heard  by  one,  who  called  the  other's  attention  to 
it,  but  the  matter  was  dismissed  as  a  delusion. 
Suddenly  we  espied  to  our  right  a  dark  object, 
which  on  our  moving  started,  then  vanished 
swiftly  as  a  shadow  through  the  flap  of  the  tent. 
Rising  to  investigate,  we  found  that  our  visitor 
had,  at  least,  not  departed  hungry  for  he  had  eaten 
twenty  pounds  of  lard  from  a  tub  that  had  not 
even  been  opened  before.  This  was  but  an 
introduction  of  what  was  to  follow,  despite  our 
best  efforts  to  prevent  a  recurrence  of  the  event. 

On  Sunday  we  attended  service  in  the  Anglican 
church  and  saw  the  Bishop  confirm  six  Indians. 
A  quiet  Sunday,  with  its  services,  was  an  enjoyable 
change  after  the  excitement  of  the  week. 

Our  work  nearing  completion  at  Rupert  House, 
it  was  necessary  for  us  to  come  to  some  decision 
in  the  matter  of  guides.  None  were  available 
immediately  and  as  one  month  of  the  summer  was 
already  gone  we  knew  that  a  further  delay  might 
prevent  us  from  accomplishing  the  work  we  had 
set  out  to  do.  We  had  planned  to  go  southward 


76  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

toward  the  mouth  of  the  Nottaway  River,  and 
now  decided  to  make  this  trip  unaccompanied  by 
guides. 

If  the  trip  were  made  successfully  we  intended, 
on  our  return  to  Rupert  House,  to  proceed  north- 
ward in  the  same  manner.  We  were  quite  aware 
what  this  decision  would  mean  to  us,  how  much 
our  work  would  be  increased.  Soundings  would 
have  to  be  taken  almost  constantly,  especially  in 
James  Bay,  and  the  picking  out  of  harbours,  the 
putting  up  and  taking  down  of  the  camp,  the 
finding  of  wood  and  water,  and,  last  but  not  least, 
the  cooking,  all  of  which  would  have  been  the 
work  of  the  guides,  would  be  added  duties. 

It  was  decided  to  lose  no  time  but  to  make  a 
start  southward  on  Monday  morning.  We  had 
suffered  so  much  from  the  onslaughts  of  the  dogs 
that  we  took  special  precautions  to  make  our 
provisions  impregnable,  as  we  thought,  to  their 
attacks,  on  the  night  previous  to  our  departure. 
All  the  open  packages  were  placed  in  the  kitchen 
(a  box  we  had  designed  for  travelling,  its  purpose 
being  to  carry  the  dishes,  cutlery,  food,  etc.,  the 
latter  for  one  day)  and  the  lid  securely  fastened. 
On  top  of  this  was  laid  a  bag  of  flour,  and  beside 
it  a  five-quart  pail  of  treacle,  covered  with  a  tight 
lid,  the  whole  being  enveloped  in  a  large  tarpaulin 
held  in  place  with  stones.  This  was  placed  on  the 
outside  of  the  tent  so  that  the  dogs  would  not 
tear  the  latter  open  to  come  in. 


A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY  77 

Imagine  our  surprise  and  dismay,  when,  on 
being  awakened  by  a  fearful  crash  outside  of  the 
tent,  we  rushed  out  to  find  that  we  had  again 
been  despoiled  by  the  canine  devils.  Everything 
in  the  kitchen  was  in  the  greatest  muss  and  con- 
fusion. Six  pounds  of  boiled  beef,  a  can  of  butter, 
and  some  stewed  fruit  had  been  appropriated, 
and  a  coating  of  blackstrap  and  sand  had  been 
generously  distributed  over  the  entire  contents 
of  the  kitchen.  How  they  managed  the  latter, 
we  do  not  pretend  to  understand. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  picture  the  conclusion 
of  this  midnight  scene,  as  a  description  of  either 
our  appearance  or  our  conduct  would  not  look 
well  in  print;  suffice  it  to  say,  that  if  we  had  had 
another  period  of  devotions  before  again  retiring, 
it  would  have  been  neither  out  of  place,  nor  the 
time  misspent. 

On  Monday  morning  as  we  were  preparing  to 
leave  for  the  south,  a  prospector  from  Southern 
Ontario  called  on  us  and  proposed  that  he  and 
his  Indian  cook,  Billy,  should  accompany  us,  to 
which  we  gave  our  consent.  We  were  entirely 
unfamiliar  with  the  channel  of  Rupert  Bay,  but 
succeeded  fairly  well  in  picking  out  a  course, 
although  in  following  the  east  shore  instead  of  the 
west,  where  the  channel  lies,  we  ran  aground  on 
a  large  sandbar  near  the  north  point  of  Middleton 
Island,  and  as  the  tide  was  going  out,  had  consid- 
erable difficulty  in  finding  the  way  off  it.  Even- 


78  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

tually  a  channel  was  located  without  crossing 
to  the  west  side. 

About  three  o'clock  the  southern  end  of  Middle- 
ton  Island  was  reached,  where  there  is  a  very 
attractive  place  for  a  camp,  which  we  decided 
to  make  our  headquarters.  It  is  situated  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Broadback  River,  rising  abruptly 
from  the  water,  and  on  a  rocky  knoll,  amidst  very 
picturesque  surroundings.  A  number  of  large 
balm-of-Gileads  afforded  protection  while  the 
ground  was  literally  carpeted  with  wild  roses, 
then  in  full  bloom. 

The  first  man  to  land  ejaculated  "What"  a  de- 
lightful site  for  a  summer  hotel, "  as  he  clambered 
up  the  granite  slope,  and  the  expression  won  the 
approbation  of  the  whole  party  as  they  gazed  on 
the  quiet  waters  of  the  little  bay,  dotted  with 
islands,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

It  did  not  take  us  long  to  set  up  very  comfort- 
able quarters  and  prepare  a  meal  at  the  fireplace, 
a  natural  one  formed  by  a  crack  in  the  rock. 

On  retiring  for  the  night,  we  lay  down  with  a 
feeling  of  the  greatest  security,  now  that  we  were 
safe  from  the  attacks  of  the  midnight  marauders, 
which  of  late  had  caused  us  so  many  sleepless 
nights.  But  sleep  was  evidently  not  to  be  our 
portion.  Hardly  had  our  candle  been  extin- 
guished, when  a  heavy  wind  was  heralded  by  the 
beating  of  branches  against  the  tent,  and  the 
roar  of  thunder  and  lightning  flash  warned  us  of 


A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY  79 

an  approaching  storm.  Immediately  the  brands 
from  the  now  deserted  camp-fire  were  hurled 
furiously  hither  and  thither,  lighting  up  the  tent 
in  a  weird  manner. 

More  frequently  came  the  vivid  flash  of  light- 
ning, nearer  came  the  crash  of  thunder,  and  the 
wind  increased  to  such  violence  that  we  began 
to  realize  the  danger  of  being  swept  off  the  rocks 
into  the  water.  The  boat's  welfare  was  giving 
the  greatest  anxiety,  for  it  had  no  protection 
whatever  from  the  storm  or  the  breakers,  which 
were  now  dashing  high  against  the  rock. 

This  was  the  boat's  first  experience  in  a  storm, 
and  the  reliability  of  the  anchor  had  not  yet  been 
proven,  but  on  the  other  hand,  it  had  been  strongly 
condemned  by  the  people  of  the  Posts,  as  not  being 
of  sufficient  weight.  In  fact,  had  we  listened  to 
the  criticisms  of  both  boat  and  anchor,  we  would 
never  have  undertaken  the  journey  at  all,  or  going, 
have  had  any  hope  of  anything  but  a  watery  grave. 
Past  experience  had  taught  us  not  to  take  the 
remarks  of  some  of  these  people  seriously,  the 
more  so  on  account  of  the  fact  that  what  one  per- 
son recommended,  the  next  man  spoken  to  would 
in  all  probability  condemn. 

The  wind  had  now  increased  to  hurricane  pro- 
portions; the  rain  was  coming  down  in  sheets  and 
being  driven  against  the  tents  so  violently  that 
we  expected  momentarily  to  see  their  collapse 
and  the  consequent  ruin  of  the  contents. 


8o  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

In  our  concern  about  the  boat,  one  groped  his 
way  along  the  rocks  to  see  if  it  and  the  canoe  were 
still  safe,  while  the  other  remained  to  watch  the 
tent.  The  former  returned  shortly  and  reported 
them  both  safe,  but  the  boat  being  tossed  roughly. 

It  was  decided  to  make  an  effort  to  reach  the 
boat,  and  bring  a  line  ashore  as  a  precaution  should 
the  anchor  drag.  This  was  done  with  the  help 
of  the  other  members  of  the  party.  We  succeeded 
in  drawing  a  hawser  through  the  willows  to  a  big 
balm-of-Gilead  close  to  our  tent,  where  we  made 
it  fast. 

The  experience  was  anything  but  pleasant  in 
the  howling  storm,  clad  as  we  were  in  our  night 
attire.  This  would  make  a  very  mild  comparison 
with  storms  we  encountered  later  on  in  the  season, 
but  it  served  the  purpose  of  preparing  us  for  future 
events  of  a  like  nature. 

The  following  days  were  spent  in  investigating 
the  surrounding  country,  which  we  found  to  be 
much  superior  to  that  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Rupert  River.  This  neighbourhood  will  undoubt- 
edly develop  into  a  good  agricultural  community 
when  the  railroad  is  completed  and  the  country 
opened  up  for  settlement.  The  soil  is  a  rich  clay 
loam  covered  with  a  thick  layer  of  leaf-mould. 
A  fine  tribute  to  its  fertility  was  the  length  of  the 
grass  and  timothy  on  the  small  open  places, 
which  exceeded  three  feet. 

The  country  is  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of 


A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY  81 

spruce,  balsam,  and  poplar,  the  smaller  of  this 
being  adaptable  for  pulp  wood,  and  the  larger, 
of  which  there  is  a  good  proportion,  suitable  for 
saw-logs  and  building  timber,  which  would  supply 
the  local  demand  for  many  years  to  come. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  we  were 
again  permitted  to  witness  a  green-fly  invasion, 
similar  to  that  which  we  had  previously  observed 
at  Rupert  House.  This  time  they  hung  in  the 
air  in  long  vertical  columns.  These  columns 
moved  about  from  place  to  place.  One  of  them, 
lowering  a  little,  enveloped  the  camp  in  a  cloud, 
and  everything  was  soon  literally  alive  with  the 
small  insects.  It  was  quite  a  disagreeable  experi- 
ence for  we  could  not  keep  them  out  of  our  eyes, 
ears,  and  noses,  but  we  were  heartily  thankful 
that  they  were  not  viciously  inclined,  like  the 
mosquitoes,  for  though  they  too  could  sing  a 
lively  tune,  they  made  no  attempt  to  bite. 

The  same  evening  an  accident,  due  to  careless- 
ness, occurred  to  our  canoe  by  which  we  nearly 
lost  it,  and  which  ever  after  served  as  a  lesson  to 
us.  Returning  from  an  afternoon  trip,  one  of  the 
men  was  left  to  secure  the  canoe,  but  instead  of 
tying  it,  he  merely  pulled  it  up  on  a  rock.  Con- 
sequently, when  the  tide  came  in,  the  canoe  was 
carried  out,  and  it  was  only  by  chance  that  it 
was  seen  floating  down  in  the  current.  Our 
guest  was  the  only  man  in  the  party  who  could 
swim,  a  fact  that  would  have  made  the  situation 


82  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

serious  had  he  not  been  present,  because  of  the 
motor  boat  being  anchored  out  in  deep  water.  He 
saved  the  situation  by  swimming  out  and  rescu- 
ing it. 

A  month  might  easily  have  been  spent  in  in- 
vestigating the  surrounding  country  in  sight  of 
the  camp,  which  commanded  a  view  for  many 
miles  in  all  directions.  As  a  whole,  the  country 
was  beautiful,  and  our  trip  was  made  specially 
enjoyable  by  reason  of  the  fine  weather  which 
prevailed,  although  at  times  it  was  uncomfortably 
warm.  The  time  for  our  departure  northward 
was  fixed  for  July  the  eleventh,  so  we  reluctantly 
began  to  break  camp  about  noon  of  that  day. 

The  temptation  was  strong  to  linger  around  the 
beautiful  spot  with  its  profusion  of  wild  roses,  so 
that  it  was  late  in  the  afternoon  before  we  finally 
raised  anchor  and  started  up  the  Bay  against  a 
strong  head  wind.  We  now  had  a  fair  idea  of  the 
location  of  the  channel,  and  were  able  to  success- 
fully avoid  the  sandbar,  upon  which  we  had 
trouble  on  the  way  southward.  The  tide  being 
with  us,  we  reached  the  river  mouth  in  about  two 
hours.  Here  began  our  troubles,  for  the  channel 
into  the  river  is  the  worst  we  entered  while  in 
the  Bay. 

On  our  return  to  Rupert  House,  we  took  the 
precaution  to  set  up  our  tent  as  far  as  possible 
away  from  the  Indian  camps,  and  to  forestall  the 
dogs  in  every  manner  we  could  think  of. 


A  WEEK  IN  RUPERT  BAY  83 

One  of  the  first  items  of  news  we  heard  on 
landing  was  of  the  shooting  of  three  Husky  dogs, 
by  members  of  the  Government  survey  party, 
who  caught  them  in  the  act  of  pillaging  their  tent. 
The  deed  caused  considerable  agitation  among  the 
residents  of  the  place. 


CHAPTER  VIH 
Rupert  House  to  Eastmain  River 

]E  were  delayed  at  Rupert  House  for 
two  days  owing  to  bad  weather. 
On  the  evening  of  the  second  day 
it  blew  a  gale,  and  a  good  part  of 
the  night  was  spent  in  holding  down 
our  tent.  The  wind  completely  subsided  the 
next  day  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  we  decided 
at  once  to  leave  for  the  Eastmain  River. 

The  boat  was  loaded  and  made  ready  for  the 
start,  and  we  said  good-bye  to  Rupert  House 
and  the  South,  at  noon,  on  July  the  fourteenth. 
Our  departure  was  marked  by  the  usual  congre- 
gating of  the  Indians,  such  as  occurred  at  Moose 
Factory.  However,  this  time  they  crowded 
around  the  boat,  which  had  been  run  ashore  for 
loading,  making  it  very  difficult  to  get  our  dunnage 
aboard. 

The  motor  boat  was  a  never-ending  source  of 
curiosity  to  the  Indians  everywhere  we  went, 
and  at  the  first  chug  of  the  engine,  .all  work  would 
cease  in  the  vicinity  and  a  general  rush  would  be 
made  for  the  river  bank. 

The  day  was  a  perfect  one,  clear,  calm,  and 
84 


RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EASTMAIN  RI^ER  85 

sunny ;  in  all,  a  beautiful  beginning  for  our  cruivse. 
The  tide  was  high,  so  we  had  no  difficulty  in 
getting  out  of  the  river.  We  followed  the  buoys 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  until  we  were 
about  four  miles  from  the  Post,  and  two  miles 
from  the  east  coast  of  Rupert  Bay.  Here  we 
left  the  ship's  course  and  steered  directly  for 
Stag  Rock. 

All  along  the  shore  of  Rupert  Bay  the  water  is 
very  shallow  and  it  was  necessary  to  take  a  course 
two  to  five  miles  from  land  to  ensure  safe  running. 
As  an  additional  precaution,  one  of  the  party  stood 
on  the  small  fore  deck,  taking  frequent  soundings, 
a  position  that  made  the  duty  dangerous  during 
rough  weather. 

To  any  person  unfamiliar  with  the  waters  of 
Rupert  Bay,  navigation  is  risky,  especially  for 
small  craft,  as  the  shallowness  of  the  water  causes 
high  seas  in  time  of  storm,  and  there  are  few,  if 
any,  places  that  afford  shelter  and  a  safe  anchorage. 

We  reached  Stag  Rock  early  in  the  afternoon, 
and  went  ashore  for  a  light  lunch,  afterward 
climbing  to  the  highest  point  to  take  observations 
and  decide  on  a  course.  This  small  island  is  a 
landmark,  very  prominent  in  Rupert  Bay.  It 
is  practically  a  pillar  of  red  granite,  rising  about 
seventy  feet  above  the  sea  and  capped  with  a 
crown  of  evergreens.  From  its  highest  point  a 
magnificent  view  of  the  surroundings  was  obtained. 

To  the  west  lay  the  low  shore  of  the  Cabbage 


86  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Willows  Bay,  the  favourite  goose-hunting  grounds 
of  the  Rupert  Indians;  to  the  east,  the  islands 
which  mark  the  mouth  of  the  Pontax  River;  to 
the  south,  the  long  sweep  of  Rupert  Bay,  with 
its  shore  line  melting  into  the  horizon;  while  to 
the  north  lay  Stag  Island  with  its  long,  low  points, 
stretching  far  into  the  water,  and  Sherrick  Mount, 
the  bold  old  sentinel,  that  stands  guard  over  the 
entrance  to  Rupert  Bay,  and  which  for  ages  has 
been  the  Indian's  landmark,  around  which  he 
has  wound  his  threads  of  legend,  ever  unique  and 
interesting,  but  too  lengthy  to  here  relate. 

Swinging  ourselves  down  the  almost  vertical 
cliff,  from  the  delightful  shady  nook  on  top,  we 
came  to  the  little  ledge  below,  where  we  had 
partaken  of  the  midday  meal,  and  off  which  our 
boat  was  moored.  With  reluctance  we  took  our 
departure  from  this  inviting  spot,  and  followed  a 
course  toward  Sherrick  Mount,  where  we  arrived 
shortly  before  sundown.  This  brought  us  to 
Boatswain  Bay,  the  next  small  bay  along  the  coast, 
a  somewhat  dangerous  one  to  cross  on  account 
of  frequent  squalls. 

The  sea  was  calm,  although  a  slight  head  wind 
was.  blowing,  and  we  determined  to  make  the 
run  across  to  McFarlane  Island,  the  first  of  a 
group  of  islands  off  the  opposite  point  and  about 
six  miles  distant.  Everything  went  well  until 
we  were  half-way  across,  when  the  wind  began  to 
come  up,  and  as  we  did  not  know  whether  the 


RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIVER  87 

island  we  were  approaching  would  afford  us 
anchorage,  we  naturally  began  to  feel  anxious, 
due  more  to  our  inexperience  than  to  the  violence 
of  the  storm.  We  were  much  relieved  on  reaching 
the  island  to  find  protection  on  the  south-east  side. 

It  was  almost  dark  when  the  shore  was  reached, 
and  we  were  feeling  the  need  of  something  to 
supply  the  inner  man.  Supper  was  prepared 
and  eaten  before  the  tents  were  set  up,  both  being 
done  by  the  light  of  the  camp-fire.  It  was  on  an 
occasion  of  this  kind  that  we  missed  the  services 
of  our  Indians,  who  were  so  expert  in  setting  up 
camp,  quick  in  finding  wood  and  water  and  making 
fire,  and  who  would  have  relieved  us  entirely  of 
the  preparation  of  the  food. 

The  camp  ground  selected  was  on  a  beautiful 
grassy  slope,  beside  the  bush,  and  partly  under 
the  shade  of  a  large  spruce.  Near  at  hand  lay  a 
large  cedar  log,  slain  monarch  from  some  distant 
forest,  cast  up  by  the  tide,  an  example  of  what  the 
Creator  provides,  on  the  rocky,  treeless  islands 
of  the  North,  for  the  traveller.  What  a  joy  it  is 
at  the  close  of  a  day,  perhaps,  of  anxious  sailing, 
to  take  refuge  on  one  of  these  islands,  apparently 
barren  of  everything,  and  find  an  abundance  of 
wood  and  water!  None  but  a  traveller  of  these 
northern  waters  can  appreciate  the  value  of  such 
blessings. 

Appropriating  this  fine,  dry  cedar  wood,  we 
soon  had  a  roaring  fire,  which  might  have  been 


88  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

seen  for  miles  around.  Not  having  the  delay 
of  hunting  for  water,  as  there  was  a  supply  in  the 
boat,  we  were  enabled  to  get  the  camp  set  up  com- 
fortably and  all  work  completed  by  nine  o'clock, 
when  we  turned  in,  hoping  to  get  a  good  night's 
sleep. 

In  the  meantime,  the  sky  had  become  overcast. 
A  heavy  storm  came  up  from  the  north-east,  our 
least  protected  quarter,  soon  after  we  retired. 
This  was  accompanied  by  little  rain,  but  a  heavy 
sea  was  raised.  Considerable  anxiety  prevailed 
in  regard  to  the  safety  of  the  boat,  as  the  island 
afforded  it  protection  no  longer.  The  more  so, 
as  one  had  looked  out  from  the  tent,  and  being 
unable  to  see  it,  made  the  statement  that  he 
feared  she  had  drifted.  Hoping  that  it  was  only 
hidden  by  the  darkness  and  the  breaking  surf, 
he  determined  to  make  a  dash  for  the  beach  that 
he  might  verify  his  conjecture. 

Not  waiting  to  change  to  his  day  attire,  he 
rushed  off  toward  the  water,  over  an  old  rose- 
grown  path,  and  as  paths  of  roses  have  ever  been 
bestrewn  with  thorns,  so  it  was  in  this  case,  and 
intermingled  with  them  were  a  few  well-developed 
thistles,  traces  of  which  he  carried  in  his  feet  for 
many  succeeding  days. 

Reaching  the  beach  he  was  much  relieved  to  find 
that  he  could  at  intervals  detect  the  white  canvas 
cover  of  the  boat,  which,  due  to  the  shifting  of  the 
wind,  had  swung  on  her  anchor.  This  had  carried 


RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIYER  89 

her  a  hundred  feet  farther  from  the  beach,  but 
the  sturdy  little  anchor  had  not  budged  an  inch. 

The  storm  continued  all  night,  and  at  frequent 
intervals  trips  were  made  to  the  beach  to  satisfy 
ourselves  that  the  anchor  was  doing  its  duty.  The 
following  day  was  stormy,  so  we  were  unable  to 
proceed  on  our  journey.  Accordingly,  we  spent 
the  day  in  making  ourselves  comfortable  in  camp 
and  in  exploring  the  island.  It  was  here  that  we 
saw  the  first  flocks  of  wild  ducks.  They  were 
feeding  on  the  grasses  beside  a  small  pond  on  the 
lower  end  of  the  island,  but  were  so  shy  that  we 
could  not  get  within  gunshot  of  them.  The 
island  was  literally  covered  with  a  mat  of  beautiful 
flowers — wild  sweet  peas,  roses,  violets,  straw- 
berry blossoms,  and  many  others,  the  names  of 
which  we  did  not  know. 

It  was  now  eight  days  since  the  other  boats 
had  left  us,  and  in  that  time,  several  bad  winds 
had  occurred.  We  were  naturally  beginning  to 
feel  anxious,  especially  about  the  York  boat,  as 
we  supposed  she  had  long  since  left  the  Eastmain 
River,  and  might  be  picking  out  her  way  along 
the  shoaly  coast,  between  there  and  Fort  George. 
However,  our  anxiety  was  considerably  less  than 
it  would  have  been  had  that  party,  like  ourselves, 
been  without  a  guide.  We  derived  much  consola- 
tion from  the  fact  that  their  guide  was  considered 
to  be  one  of  the  most  competent  on  the  east  coast. 

From  the  island,  the  north  shore  of  Boatswain 


90  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Bay  could  be  seen.  It  appeared  to  be  somewhat 
higher  than  that  of  Rupert  Bay,  and  the  timber 
longer,  and  consequently  cleaner.  There  were 
also  other  islands  lying  to  the  north  and  west, 
some  of  which  were  quite  large  and  appeared  to 
be  thickly  timbered.  These  islands  are  all  un- 
named. 

The  wind  continued  to  blow  until  the  early  morn- 
ing of  the  second  day,  and  there  seemed  little 
sign  of  it  abating  then.  At  seven  o'clock,  a  change 
for  the  better  took  place,  and  after  arousing  Mac, 
the  engineman,  who  had  not  appeared  for  break- 
fast, we  at  once  began  to  break  camp. 

We  had  everything  carried  to  the  beach  by 
nine  o'clock,  but  as  Mac  had  only  begun  to  show 
signs  of  life,  we  had  to  wait  until  he  got  his  tent 
and  dunnage  ready.  By  this  time  the  tide  had 
gone  out,  and  upon  taking  the  dunnage  out  to 
the  boat,  we  found  to  our  dismay  that  she  was 
aground,  causing  us  a  further  delay  of  about  two 
hours. 

We  raised  anchor  at  half  past  eleven  and  passed 
along  the  east  shore  of  McFarlane  Island,  and 
then  steered  for  Neck-of-Land  Point.  We  at- 
tempted to  pass  between  the  point  and  an  island 
that  lay  off  it  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  but  soon 
got  badly  mixed  up  in  a  maze  of  shoals  which 
seemed  to  surround  the  island  as  well  as  to  con- 
nect it  to  the  mainland  and  stretch  southward  to 
McFarlane  Island.  We  found  it  impossible  to 


RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EASTMAIN  RlfER  91 

make  our  way  through  and  in  retracing  our  course 
the  propeller  struck  rock  several  times,  but  was 
only  bent  slightly.  Finally  we  managed  by 
constant  sounding  to  find  a  channel  leading  past 
the  island. 

By  this  time  the  day  was  clear  and  warm,  and 
the  sea  quite  calm,  which  encouraged  us  to  leave 
the  mainland  of  the  next  shallow  bay  well  to 
our  right.  We  had  not  gone  far  when  the  wind 
began  to  rise  again,  a  fact  that  impressed  our 
minds  with  the  uncertainty  of  the  weather  in 
James  Bay.  We,  timid,  and  still  inexperienced 
seamen,  thought  best  to  get  nearer  shore,  and 
consequently  shifted  our  course,  but  soon  found 
ourselves  in  shallow  water.  A  landing  could  not 
be  effected  anywhere,  so  we  had  to  put  out  again 
into  deep  water,  despite  the  roughness  of  the  sea, 
as  we  then  termed  it. 

By  the  time  we  were  half-way  across  the  bay 
to  the  islands  at  the  mouth  of  Jack  River,  much 
to  our  surprise  and  gratification  the  wind  again 
went  down  and  the  water  became  smooth.  How- 
ever to  the  west  a  great,  heavy,  black  cloud  hung 
over  Charlton  Island,  the  profile  of  which  was 
dimly  outlined  against  the  horizon.  This  we  had 
watched  with  suspicion  for  some  time,  and  it  now 
appeared  to  be  coming  closer,  so  we  feared  more 
trouble  was  brewing. 

The  islands,  with  the  protection  they  would 
afford,  were  still  five  miles  off,  and  we  were  puzzled 


92  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

to  know  if  we  would  reach  them  before  the  storm 
reached  us*  This  proved  to  be  one  of  many 
instances  when  miraculous  intervention  seemed 
to  favour  us,  although  of  trifling  significance  com- 
pared with  many  which  followed,  as  the  cloud 
we  so  much  dreaded  passed  to  our  left,  and  we 
sailed  on  to  the  islands  in  calm  and  sunshine, 
where  we  arrived  about  two  o'clock. 

We  landed  on  one  of  the  small  islands,  a  smooth, 
circular  hump  of  gneiss,  without  even  a  covering 
of  moss  to  rid  it  of  its  barrenness  or  lend  an  ap- 
pearance of  hospitality  to  the  passing  traveller. 
Lunch  was  hastily  partaken  of,  and  then  the 
propeller  blades,  which  had  been  bent  on  the 
rocks  earlier  in  the  day,  causing  a  marked  decrease 
in  our  speed,  were  straightened. 

The  propeller  was  fortunately  of  the  Roper 
reversible  type,  made  of  soft,  tough  bronze,  very 
easily  bent  and  straightened  without  danger  of 
breaking.  It  was,  in  addition,  protected  by  a 
pin,  inserted  through  the  periphery  of  two  plates, 
on  the  abutting  ends  of  a  break  in  the  driving 
shaft,  which  fitted  together.  In  this  manner  the 
whole  power  from  the  engine  was  transmitted  to 
the  propeller  through  the  small  brass  pin.  In 
case  of  the  propeller  striking  a  heavy  resistance, 
such  as  a  rock,  the  pin  would  be  immediately 
sheared,  with  little  or  no  damage  to  the  blade. 

The  boat  once  more  in  order,  we  took  a  course 
toward  Loon  Point,  passing  several  other  points, 


RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIYER  93 

formed  by  deep,  narrow  bays  extending  into  the 
mainland.  Soon  after  starting,  a  fair  breeze 
sprang  up  and  we  raised  our  foresail.  The 
breeze  freshened  to  a  wind  and  we  were  borne 
along  at  a  high  rate  of  speed. 

When  coming  opposite  to  Partridge  Point, 
we  saw  the  tops  of  two  hills,  blue  in  the  distance. 
These  we  recognized  to  be  the  Monkey  Hills, 
which  form  a  very  prominent  landmark  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Eastmain  River.  A  course  was 
taken  directly  across  the  long  bay  towards  them. 

In  the  meantime  the  freshened  wind  had  raised 
a  large  swell,  which  gradually  broke  into  white- 
capped  waves.  When  we  drew  near  to  the  shore 
of  the  bay,  opposite  the  hills,  we  coasted  along 
until  the  point  beyond  was  reached.  Here  we 
made  an  effort  to  run  between  an  island  and  the 
mainland,  but  encountered  a  sandbar  which  con- 
nected them  at  low  tide  and  accordingly  had  to 
turn  sharply  around  and  go  outside  of  the  island. 

This  was  the  most  exciting  run  of  the  trip  so 
far,  as  the^boat  was  running  parallel  to  the  waves, 
now  deep  in  the  trough,  then  lifted  high  on  the 
crest.  Several  times  it  seemed  as  if  we  would  be 
completely  enveloped  by  the  tumultuous  waters 
around  us,  but  thanks  to  the  canvas  boat  cover 
and  our  manipulation  of  the  wheel,  we  rounded 
the  point  safely  and  without  taking  water.  We 
then  saw  what  we  recognized  to  be  Governor 
Island,  and  before  many  minutes  were  alongside 


94  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

of  it  and  chugging  into  the  mouth  of  the  Eastmain 
River. 

We  were  agreeably  surprised  to  see  several 
sailboats  anchored  in  the  harbour  at  Governor 
Island  and  a  group  of  people  watching  our  ap- 
proach and  waving  us  a  welcome.  We  were  much 
pleased  with  our  successful  entry  into  the  river, 
as  it  is  not  only  hard  to  find,  but  difficult  to  ap- 
proach, the  water  being  shallow  and  the  channels 
narrow.  Of  the  latter  there  are  three,  two  south 
of  Governor  Island  and  one  north  of  it.  Daylight 
and  high  tide  are  required  for  the  safe  entrance 
of  boats  that  draw  four  feet  of  water. 

Taking  the  centre  channel,  the  only  one  familiar 
to  us,  we  reached  the  Post  at  half  past  six  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  thus  completing  the  run  of  seventy- 
five  miles  from  Rupert  House,  and  having  made 
half  of  the  distance  since  eleven  o'clock  in  the 
morning. 

On  our  arrival  we  set  up  camp,  and  as  was  pur 
usual  custom,  paid  our  respects  to  the  officers 
of  both  companies.  Since  our  last  visit,  the  Revil- 
lon  Post  had  been  established  and  was  under  the 
management  of  Mr.  William  McLeod,  who  is  a 
good  example  of  the  progressive  young  men  who 
are  becoming  the  leaders  in  this  district.  Mr. 
McLeod  was  born,  raised,  and  educated  in  Moose 
Factory. 

The  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Post  was  in 
charge  of  Mr.  C.  J.  R.  Jobson,  who  is  a  most 


RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EASTMAIN  RI^ER  95 

admirable  and  interesting  person,  retiring,  but 
ever  ready  to  show  kindness  in  a  most  unassuming 
manner.  Mr.  Jobson  is  a  native  of  the  Orkney 
Islands  and  came  to  the  Hudson  Bay  country  in 
1865,  where  he  has  remained  in  the  employ  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  ever  since,  filling 
the  office  of  manager  at  a  number  of  the  inland 
Posts,  all  the  way  from  Lake  St.  John  to  the 
Eastmain  River. 

We  also  met  the  party  of  naturalists  whom  we 
had  met  at  Rupert  House.  They  had  succeeded 
in  engaging  a  guide  to  take  them  as  far  as  Charlton 
Island,  where  another  was  procured  to  bring  them 
to  this  Post.  They  were  collecting  specimens 
in  the  vicinity. 

The  incidents  of  the  former  visit,  when  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Post  was  in  charge  of 
the  late  Mr.  Turner,  were  often  a  source  of  con- 
versation. It  was  there,  on  our  return  from  a 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  mile  trip  up  the 
river,  we  ate  the  first  meal  that  had  been  partaken 
of  in  two  days.  The  many  events  of  the  trip 
came  vividly  to  mind  and  had  to  be  related  to 
those  who  were  not  present  on  that  occasion. 

The  most  interesting  feature  of  that  trip  was 
the  fact  that  the  distance  covered  in  six  days  going 
up  the  river  was  done  in  a  little  over  two  coming 
down.  It  was  an  experience  that  is  not  likely  to 
be  forgotten  by  the  participants. 

One  of  the  most  amusing  incidents  of  that  whole 


96  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

trip  was  the  anxiety  of  an  old  Welsh  miner,  who 
happened  to  be  one  of  the  party,  over  the  sup- 
posed existence  of  cannibals  on  the  river,  who 
were  likely  to  be  encountered.  This  information 
had  been  communicated  to  him  by  a  friend  (?) 
in  a  most  confidential  manner,  previous  to  starting. 

The  first  night  out,  when  seated  around  the 
camp-fire,  the  matter  was  discussed  openly.  By 
a  unanimous  vote  it  was  decided  that,  when  the 
cannibals  were  met,  an  agreement  should  be  made 
whereby  one  of  the  party  should  be  handed  over, 
in  return  for  a  promise  that  the  others  would 
have  their  freedom.  To  ascertain  who  should 
be  the  unfortunate  one  it  was  deemed  advisable 
to  draw  lots. 

It  can  readily  be  imagined  the  anxiety  pictured 
in  the  old  man's  face  as  he  sat  in  the  glow  of  the 
camp-fire,  when  by  a  clever  manipulation  of  the 
straws  it  of  course  fell  to  his  lot  to  be  the  "Jonah." 
It  seemed  as  if  on  each  succeeding  day  of  the 
journey,  his  face  wore  a  more  haggard  look,  as, 
no  doubt,  he  supposed  it  would  be  the  fateful  day, 
and  when  the  time  had  arrived  for  the  return 
journey,  and  he  was  still  uncooked  and  uneaten, 
he  would  have  made  us  travel  day  and  night  to 
get  back  into  safe  quarters.  Poor  old  Jones 
would  not  have  made  a  good  meal  for  any  canni- 
bal at  his  best,  much  less  when  those  eight  days 
of  anxious  waiting  were  over. 

Here,  as  at  the  other  Posts,  we  were  doomed  to 


RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EAST  MAIN  RIVER  97 

suffer  in  conflict  with  the  dogs.  We  had  been 
looking  forward  with  pleasure  to  our  visit  to  the 
Eastmain  River,  but  dreaded  the  encounter  with 
the  dogs  which  we  knew  to  be  inevitable. 

Practically  every  day  was  marked  by  some  of 
their  depredations.  The  worst  experience  of  the 
kind  occurred  on  the  morning  after  our  arrival. 
We  were  housed 'in  a  large  silk  tent,  twelve  by 
fourteen  feet,  which  we  reserved  for  special  occa- 
sions, usually  for  our  stay  at  the  various  Posts, 
where  we  were  likely  to  entertain. 

We  were  away  from  the  tent,  attending  to  some 
business  at  one  of  the  stores,  leaving  Mac  to 
mind  it,  as  it  contained  several  kettles  of  freshly 
cooked  food,  delicacies  in  the  eyes  of  the  hungry 
Husky  dogs.  Great  was  our  indignation  when 
drawing  near  to  the  tent  on  our  return,  to  see  dog 
after  dog  troop  through  a  large  rent  in  the  front 
of  it,  evidently  having  heard  the  approaching 
footsteps,  and  showing  unmistakable  evidences 
of  guilt  in  the  carriage  of  their  ears  and  tails. 

We  were  much  surprised  to  find  a  two-gallon 
kettle,  that  we  had  left  in  the  tent  full  of  boiled 
beans,  sitting  outside  with  but  a  few  beans  in 
the  bottom.  It  looked  very  much  as  if  someone 
had  carried  it  out,  but  Mac,  who  did  not  remain 
to  watch  the  tent  and  returned  after  the  damage 
was  done,  declared  that  when  he  first  arrived  the 
dogs  were  inside,  and  in  order  to  escape,  sprang 
through  the  end  of  the  tent.  One,  he  said,  took 


98  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

the  handle  of  the  bean  kettle  in  his  mouth  and 
plunged  through  the  rent  with  it,  determined  not 
to  surrender  his  booty. 

We  were  quite  suspicious  of  this  yarn  until  a 
similar  incident  occurred  under  our  own  observa- 
tion. It  was  on  our  return  visit  that  a  small  dog 
was  caught  running  away  with  a  large  basin  of 
stew  by  grasping  the  side  of  it  in  his  mouth,  a 
provoking  yet  most  amusing  spectacle,  proving 
that  the  Eastmain  dogs  are  adepts  at  tricks  of 
this  kind. 

We  were  the  recipients  of  a  number  of  presents 
of  garden  products  from  Mr.  Jobson,  including, 
among  others,  potatoes  and  rhubarb,  also  a  pail 
of  very  choice  fresh  butter.  The  potatoes  were 
the  previous  season's  and  were  firm  and  white, 
the  former  probably  due  to  being  kept  in  a  root 
house.  They  furnished  us  an  occasional  much 
appreciated  meal  until  the  end  of  August,  and 
were  a  constant  reminder  of  the  thoughtfulness 
of  the  giver.  As  most  of  our  butter  was  lost  on 
the  river  and  none  was  obtainable  at  the  Post, 
that  of  Mr.  Jobson  was  a  great  treat. 
f  Only  those  who  have  been  deprived  of  the 
staple  articles  of  food  for  months,  as  is  often  the 
case  in  an  isolated  country  like  that  of  the  Hudson 
Bay,  can  understand  how  these  simple  gifts  can 
be  worthy  of  so  much  appreciation. 

The  rhubarb  was  growing  in  great  profusion  in 
the  Post  garden  and  as  we  had  carte  blanche  we 


RUPERT  HOUSE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIVER  99 

paid  daily  visits  thither,  and  one  might  have 
thought,  from  the  armfuls  carried  away,  that 
there  was  a  dozen  in  the  party  instead  of  three. 
We  knew  that  it  was  a  very  healthful  article  of 
food  during  the  extremely  hot  weather  that 
prevailed. 

The  Factor  had  several  small  fields  of  potatoes 
that  we  thought  were  looking  remarkably  well, 
but  he  assured  us  that  they  were  quite  backward 
in  comparison  with  average  years. 

The  soil  of  the  Post  clearing  is  a  light,  sandy 
loam,  with  a  subsoil  of  blue  clay.  It  is  not  very 
deep,  but  showed  very  good  results  considering 
the  fact  that  agriculture  receives  so  little  atten- 
tion from  the  trading  companies.  The  area  of 
cleared  land  around  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
Post  is  very  small,  probably  not  exceeding  twenty 
acres.  No  steps  have  been  taken  to  drain  the 
lowland  which  would  be  equally  as  good  as  the 
higher,  now,  under  cultivation,  were  a  little  ditch- 
ing done. 

This  was  the  only  place  on  the  east  coast,  to 
our  knowledge,  where  grain  had  been  raised. 
Some  of  the  officers  in  charge  have  sown  test 
fields  of  grain  with  very  satisfactory  results,  but 
in  no  practical  quantity,  owing  chiefly  to  the 
lack  of  some  means  of  threshing.  That  which 
has  been  raised  was  fed  to  the  cattle  as  fodder. 

The  timber  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mouth  of  the 
river  is  principally  small  tamarack  of  little  value. 


ioo  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

From  observations  taken  on  our  former  trip  we 
know  that  it  improves  as  one  leaves  the  coast, 
but  in  some  localities  much  fine  timber  has  been 
destroyed  by  forest  fires,  and  is  replaced  by  a 
second  growth,  most  of  which  is  poplar.  It  was 
also  observed  that  the  quality  of  the  land  improved 
as  the  river  was  ascended,  the  soil  being  a  deep, 
rich,  sandy  loam. 


CHAPTER  IX 
Eastmain  River  to  Fort  George 

|HE  time  allotted  for  our  stay  at  the 
Eastmain  River  Post  elapsed  on 
July  the  twentieth,  so  we  planned 
on  an  early  start  for  Fort  George, 
that  morning.  Accordingly,  we  were 
up  by  half  past  four  o'clock  and  preparing  for 
the  start,  but,  as  the  fuel  tanks  on  the  boat  had 
to  be  replenished  and  we  had  to  pay  farewell 
visits  to  each  of  the  Posts,  the  anchor  was  not 
raised  until  half  past  nine. 

While  calling  at  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
Post,  we  met  Mrs.  Griffith,  wife  of  the  Factor  at 
Fort  George,  who  had  arrived  by  canoe  about 
midnight  with  her  young  baby,  nurse,  and  four 
Indians,  en  route  to  Rupert  House  to  visit  her 
father,  the  Factor,  and  her  mother.  They  had 
covered  the  distance  from  Fort  George  to  the 
Eastmain  Post,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  miles,  in  three  days. 

When  all  the  dunnage  was  packed  and  ready, 
a  number  of  Indians  gathered  around  us,  as  they 
did  at  Rupert  House,  but  unlike  the  latter,  they 
assisted  us  in  carrying  the  dunnage  to  the  boat. 

101 


102  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

It  was  a  warm  day  and  the  sky  was  overcast, 
but  as  the  wind  was  offshore  we  felt  little  concern. 

Our  passage  down  the  river  was  uneventful, 
save  that  we  took  the  channel  north  of  Governor 
Island,  and  following  the  instructions  given  us  at 
the  Posts,  had  no  difficulty  in  reaching  the  bay. 
When  outside  we  found  that  the  wind  had  fresh- 
ened and  had  shifted  to  the  north-west,  the  direc- 
tion we  must  take,  and  hence  dead  against  us. 
This  wind  had  made  the  sea  quite  choppy,  and 
being  inexperienced  and  without  either  a  guide 
or  a  knowledge  of  this  part  of  the  coast,  we  were 
quite  undecided  what  to  do. 

Eighteen  miles  to  the  north-west  stood  the  blue 
humps  of  Cape  Hope  Islands,  a  prominent  land- 
mark for  perhaps  fifty  miles  of  the  coast  and  second 
only  in  prominence  to  Sherrick  Mount.  They 
lie  midway  across  a  long,  deep  bay  extending 
into  the  mainland.  The  shores  of  this  bay  are 
low  and  the  water  shallow  for  several  miles  out, 
necessitating  a  course  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Eastmain  River  out  toward  the  islands. 

In  the  course  lay  High  Rock  and  its  companion 
islands,  twelve  miles  distant,  while  between  lay 
several  shoaly  islands  and  reefs  which  were  being 
lashed  by  breakers.  Behind  us  lay  the  snug 
harbour  of  Governor  Island,  wherein  the  Company 
boats  anchor  and  await  fair  wind  and  weather 
and  where  a  good  camping  place  was  available. 

It  was  a  great  temptation  for  us  to  return  and 


EAST  MA  IN  RI^ER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  103 

wait  for  a  change  of  weather,  but  the  knowledge 
that  the  season  was  rapidly  passing  proved  too 
strong  an  argument  against  doing  so.  We  made 
a  safe  run  until  we  drew  near  to  High  Rock  Island. 
By  that  time  the  sea  was  running  high  and  an 
occasional  wave  was  breaking  over  our  bow. 
Accordingly  we  decided  to  anchor  in  the  lee  of 
the  island  and  await  calmer  weather. 

The  island  is  well  named,  being  a  high,  rounded 
hump  of  reddish  granite,  absolutely  devoid  of 
vegetation,  except  a  few  patches  of  moss.  We 
lunched  on  a  ledge  of  rock  at  the  south  side  of 
the  island,  protected  from  the  chilling  winds, 
and  where  a  crevice  in  the  rock  formed  a  fine 
natural  fire-place.  It  was  a  cozy  nook,  warmed 
by  the  fire  and  the  rays  of  the  noonday  sun, 
which  then  shone  from  a  beautiful,  clear  sky. 

After  lunch  we  went  up  to  the  top  of  the  island 
and  found  the  wind  stronger  and  the  sea  rougher 
than  before.  We  accordingly  decided  to  camp, 
and  pitched  our  tent  on  a  beautiful,  soft  bed  of 
moss,  in  the  lee  of  a  large  rock.  Returning  to 
the  "cookery"  on  the  ledge  we  offered  a  prayer 
of  thanksgiving  for  the  absence  of  dogs,  and  once 
more  prepared  a  supply  of  food,  sufficient  for 
several  days. 

On  occasions  like  this,  we  always  took  advan- 
tage of  our  stay  to  do  the  cooking  for  future  days, 
or  the  washing  and  mending  of  clothes.  It 
seemed  as  if  we  never  could  accomplish  all  that 


104  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

was  necessary  of  such  work,  no  matter  how  long 
the  delay. 

The  island  seemed  a  barren  place  for  a  camp, 
on  our  first  landing,  but  the  finding  of  an  abun- 
dance of  good  wood  and  water  and  a  soft  protected 
spot  for  a  bed  caused  us  to  change  our  opinion. 

The  wind  went  down  with  the  sun  and  the  night 
was  clear  and  starlit.  This  was  now  the  twenty- 
first  day  of  July,  one  month  past  the  longest  day, 
and  it  was  an  interesting  fact  that  owing  to  our 
travelling  northward,  the  length  of  day  was  still 
about  the  same  as  it  was  at  Conjuring  House  on 
the  Missinaibi  River,  where  we  spent  the  twenty- 
first  of  June.  This  phenomenon  was  noticed 
until  we  were  far  into  the  North. 

With  the  prospect  of  a  good  day  of  sailing,  we 
arose  early  next  morning  and  while  one  prepared 
the  breakfast,  the  other  did  the  packing.  Al- 
though ready  to  leave  by  seven  o'clock,  we  were 
baffled  in  our  expectations  of  an  early  start  by 
Mac,  who  had  slept  on  the  boat  and  could  not  be 
aroused.  We  finally  succeeded  and  raised  anchor 
at  half  past  eight  o'clock  and  crossed  to  the  Cape 
Hope  Islands,  coasting  along  the  east  shore  of  the 
larger  island. 

The  island  is  of  irregular  shape,  about  six  miles 
long  and  three  miles  at  its  widest.  It  is  a  high, 
rounded  mountain  of  diabase,  in  most  places 
thickly  wooded.  It  has  several  harbours,  owing 
to  the  irregularity  of  its  coast  line,  and  is  bordered 


EASTMAIN  RIYER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  105 

by  deep  water.  These  harbours  are  used  by  the 
companies'  sailboats,  en  route  to  Charlton  and 
Strutton  Islands,  and  its  wooded  slopes  give  excel- 
lent protection  to  the  dog  teams  during  the  winter 
storms.  On  the  north-east  point  of  the  larger 
island  there  are  what  at  first  appeared  to  be 
some  large  quartz  veins,  but  investigation  has 
proven  them  to  be  feldspathic  dykes. 

From  here  we  kept  a  course  from  point  to  point, 
crossing  the  mouths  of  the  bays  and  avoiding 
any  detours,  reaching  the  Shepherd  Islands  about 
noon.  We  went  ashore  at  an  old  camping  place 
on  one  of  these  islands,  where  we  found  an  abun- 
dance of  wood  and  water,  the  former  already  cut, 
and  had  our  lunch. 

Looking  northward  from  the  summit  of  the 
island,  we  were  delighted  to  see  the  first  sign  of 
the  next  prominent  landmark,  along  the  coast, 
Paint  Hills  Islands.  For  some  time  after  start- 
ing again  we  were  unable  to  see  these  islands,  as 
they  were  still  below  the  horizon,  consequently 
we  took  a  course  parallel  to  the  shore.  When  the 
group  of  islands  came  plainly  into  view,  stretching 
for  several  miles  out  to  sea  like  a  great  arm  of  the 
mainland,  we  were  undecided  whether  to  take  a 
course  inside  or  outside  of  them,  the  latter  being 
a  roundabout  of  several  miles. 

It  was  our  desire  to  revisit  the  deposit  of  iron 
pyrites,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  report  of  the 
Geological  Survey,  but  could  not  recollect  whether 


106  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

it  was  on  the  hill  of  the  mainland,  or  on  that  of 
Walrus  Island,  the  outside  one  of  the  group,  both 
hills  being  identical  in  shape.  We  decided  on  the 
latter  and  took  a  course  for  it. 

The  weather  was  fine  all  day,  consequently  we 
did  not  hesitate  to  go  well  out  to  sea.  We  reached 
Walrus  Island  about  five  o'clock  and  anchored  off 
it,  going  ashore  to  look  for  the  mineral.  The 
island  proved  to  be  bare  of  trees,  and  remember- 
ing that  the  deposit  was  close  to  a  spruce  bush, 
it  was  evident  that  the  wrong  hill  had  been  chosen. 

We  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  conical  hill,  which 
rises  from  the  centre  of  the  island.  It  is  formed 
entirely  of  dark  trap,  bearing  crystals  of  iron 
pyrites.  From  this  elevation  we  had  an  excellent 
view  of  the  coast  in  all  directions.  On  landing 
the  hilltop  seemed  quite  near,  but  before  reaching 
it,  we  had  completely  changed  our  minds,  as  the 
ascent  required  nearly  an  hour  of  hard  climbing. 

The  day  was  fast  drawing  to  a  close  when  the 
boat  was  again  reached,  so  we  only  rounded  the 
island  and  anchored  in  a  snug  little  harbour 
formed  by  a  group  of  small,  rocky  islands.  There 
was  no  vegetation  on  them,  but  we  found  a  soft  (?) 
gravel  beach  and  made  the  camp  thereon.  A 
large  quantity  of  drift  cedar  made  a  fine  fire  pos- 
sible, and  having  had  a  most  enjoyable  and 
successful  day  of  travelling,  and  possessing  large 
appetites,  we  decided  to  mark  the  occasion  by  a 
special  feast. 


EASTMAIN  RIVER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  107 

The  meal  might  not  have  been  an  attractive  one 
at  the  Waldorf-Astoria,  as  the  menu  only  consisted 
of  boiled  potatoes,  macaroni  and  tomatoes,  cold 
Australian  boiled  beef,  flapjacks,  and  tea,  but  to 
us,  a  crew  of  hungry  voyageurs,  it  was  a  banquet 
to  which  we  would  have  had  no  hesitancy  in 
inviting  the  King. 

The  following  morning  found  us  up  at  half  past 
four  and  ready  to  start  at  seven  o'clock.  How- 
ever, we  were  delayed  some  time  examining  some 
quartz  veins  which  proved  to  be  but  slightly 
mineralized. 

This  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  trying  days 
we  had  yet  experienced;  the  wind  was  from  the 
sea  and  the  water  quite  rough,  and  naturally 
under  these  conditions  we  endeavoured  to  stay 
as  close  to  the  islands  as  possible,  where  shelter 
might  be  had,  were  it  required. 

We  soon  found  that  this  course  caused  greater 
anxiety  than  the  waves  of  the  open  sea  had  done, 
as  everywhere  for  miles  we  encountered  shoals. 
Some,  submerged  or  partly  so,  gave  warning  of 
their  presence  by  the  splashing  of  the  breakers 
upon  them,  while  others,  more  deeply  submerged, 
gave  no  warning  whatever  until  we  were  close 
enough  to  see  them  beneath  us.  It  was  decidedly 
hard  on  the  nerves  to  find  ourselves  passing  swiftly 
over  great  boulders,  which,  however,  owing  to  the 
clearness  of  the  water,  looked  much  nearer  than 
they  really  were. 


io8  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

We  succeeded  in  reaching  Comb  Hills  Islands 
in  time  to  lunch  on  the  outer  one  of  the  group. 
A  conspicuous  feature  of  this  island  is  a  dark  trap 
dyke,  about  six  feet  wide,  which  cuts  completely 
across  it  in  a  north  and  south  direction. 

Immediately  off  the  island  lies  White  Bear 
Island,  a  small  hump  of  white  weathered  gneiss, 
which,  owing  to  its  peculiar  form,  strongly  re- 
sembles a  reclining  bear  with  outstretched  paws 
and  uplifted  head. 

Fairly  good  protection  from  the  south  and  west 
may  be  had  at  several  small  harbours  on  the  north 
side  of  these  islands. 

The  experiences  of  the  morning  were  repeated 
throughout  the  afternoon,  and  the  currents 
between  the  islands,  rushing  over  the  shoals,  re- 
minded us  very  much  of  the  rapids  of  the  Missi- 
naibi  River. 

The  conditions  for  sailing  improved  as  the  af- 
ternoon advanced,  the  wind  going  down,  while 
the  currents  weakened  and  the  water  deepened 
as  it  neared  the  flood  of  the  tide.  Toward  evening 
the  atmosphere  became  hazy,  and  it  was  impos- 
sible to  check  our  position  by  the  map.  We  felt 
sure  that  Dead  Duck  Bay  had  been  passed  and 
that  Aquatuk  Bay  had  been  entered  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  If  this  were  so,  it  was 
evident  Fort  George  could  be  reached  by  six 
o'clock  that  evening. 

After  running  through  a  maze  of  islands  for 


EASTMAIN  RIYER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  109 

some  time,  one  was  finally  approached  which 
resembled  Loon  Island,  the  landmark  for  which 
we  had  been  eagerly  looking,  as  it  lies  directly 
off  the  mouth  of  Big  River.  It  was  on  Loon 
Island  that  the  Revillon  Fre~res'  wholesale  house 
was  originally  located,  and  on  its  highest  point 
a  beacon  for  the  guidance  of  ships  was  erected. 
We  looked  for  the  beacon  on  the  top  of  several 
islands  in  the  distance,  as  well  as  on  this  one,  and 
as  it  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  concluded  that  it 
must  have  been  removed  when  the  Company 
went  to  Strutton,  and  that  it  was  Loon  Island 
we  were  then  approaching.  What  appeared  to 
be  the  mouth  of  the  river  on  the  mainland,  opposite 
the  island,  helped  to  confirm  our  opinion. 

It  was  somewhat  late  in  the  evening,  so  to  avoid 
the  depredations  of  the  Husky  dogs  at  the  Post, 
we  decided  to  camp  on  the  island.  After  landing, 
a  close  inspection  of  the  island  was  made,  and  it 
was  discovered  to  our  disappointment  that,  how- 
ever near  we  might  be  to  it,  we  were  not  on  Loon 
Island.  It  was  somewhat  comforting  to  find  a 
cairn,  set  up  on  the  highest  point,  which  was  an 
indication  that  it  was  a  regular  camping  place  in 
the  course  of  the  companies'  sailing  boats. 

It  is  a  custom  of  the  native  sailors  of  the  country, 
both  Indian  and  Eskimo,  to  mark,  either  with  a 
cairn  or  a  pole,  such  islands  as  they  have  found 
along  the  coast  to  offer  good  protection,  wood,  and 
water.  The  island  proved  to  be  a  good  camping 


i  io  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

place,  and  from  its  highest  point  we  watched  the 
sun  sink  slowly  into  the  western  sea,  bathing  it 
with  a  radiance  indescribable.  [ 

The  recollection  of  a  night  spent  outside  of 
East  main  River  on  the  last  trip,  when  a  large  camp- 
fire  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the  people  at 
the  Post,  and  they,  supposing  it  was  someone  in 
distress,  had  sent  out  a  party  of  Indians  to  us  at 
daybreak  the  next  morning,  caused  us  to  extinguish 
the  camp-fire  as  the  darkness  drew  on,  that  there 
might  not  be  a  similar  occurrence.  We  intended 
to  slip  quietly  into  Fort  George,  the  next  morning, 
without  giving  any  warning  of  our  approach. 

It  was  with  feelings  of  pleasure  we  retired  that 
night,  knowing  that  it  could  only  be  a  short  dis- 
tance to  Fortf  George,  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
and  interesting  places  on  the  Bay,  and  where  we 
would  meet  some  of  the  friends  of  five  years  ago. 

The  next  morning  found  us  up  bright  and  early 
and  taking  advantage  of  every  means  at  our  dis- 
posal to  make  ourselves  presentable,  brushing 
our  hair  and  greasing  our  boots  as  if  it  were  Sun- 
day at  home  (?).  These  preparations  delayed  us 
somewhat,  but  the  novelty  of  being  "dressed  up" 
amply  repaid  us. 

The  morning  was  a  delightful  one,  bright  and 
warm.  Leaving  the  island,  we  steered  straight 
for  the  mainland,  but  the  nearer  we  got,  the  more 
apparent  it  became  that  we  were  not  approaching 
the  mouth  of  Big  River,  on  which  Fort  George 


EAST  MAIN  RiyER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  in 

is  situated,  although,  at  a  distance,  it  resembled 
it  to  a  remarkable  degree.  We  turned  our  boat 
northward  again  and,  after  going  a  short  distance, 
discovered  that  the  shore  was  the  north  side  of 
Aquatuk  Bay.  Clearing  this  by  a  westward 
course  we  soon  got  into  another  maze  of  islands, 
seemingly  interconnected  by  shoals.  Much  time 
was  wasted  in  retracing  our  course,  when  it  was 
found  impossible  to  effect  a  passage  between 
certain  of  the  islands.  It  would  have  been  risky 
to  have  taken  a  course  in  the  open  sea,  as  a  heavy 
bank  of  fog  was  hanging  over  it  to  the  west, 
which  with  the  rising  of  the  wind  might  have 
blown  in  on  us  any  minute,  so  we  decided  to  take 
a  chance  among  the  islands. 

About  eleven  o'clock  we  anchored  off  one  of  the 
larger  islands,  and,  landing,  proceeded  to  the 
highest  point  to  look  for  the  mainland.  While 
ashore  we  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be 
at  least  a  couple  of  hours  before  our  destination 
was  reached,  and  decided  to  have  lunch.  Both 
observations  and  lunch  were  unsatisfactory,  for, 
unable  to  see  the  mainland,  we  were  still  mystified 
as  to  our  location,  and  as  there  was  not  a  drop  of 
fresh  water  to  be  found  anywhere,  had  to  make 
the  best  of  a  dry  meal. 

From  this  island,  we  again  steered  for  the  main- 
land, but  after  running  for  half  an  hour  sighted  a 
white  patch  on  an  island  ahead,  which  we  thought 
might  be  a  tent.  This  was  made  the  objective 


ii2  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

point,  but  owing  to  the  haze,  it  was  difficult  to 
keep  it  in  sight.  In  fact  it  was  lost  to  view  a 
couple  of  times,  and  we  feared  a  mirage  had  misled 
us,  as  had  often  been  the  case  before. 

Drawing  nearer,  we  could  distinguish  figures 
moving  about,  and  eventually  a  stovepipe,  pro- 
truding from  a  tent,  was  discovered  by  means  of 
our  glasses.  By  careful  manoeuvring  the  island 
was  approached,  being  shoaly  on  that  side.  On 
landing  there  were  none  of  the  inmates  of  the 
tent  to  be  seen,  evidently  having  been  frightened 
by  the  approach  of  the  "fire  boat,"  as  the  Indians 
termed  it. 

As  we  came  up  to  the  tent,  a  short,  heavy-set, 
bearded,  swarthy  man  emerged  from  it  followed 
by  other  members  of  his  family.  The  usual  hand- 
shaking performance  began,  although  the  greet- 
ings exchanged  were  hardly  intelligible  to  either 
party.  We  pointed  to  what  appeared  to  be  the 
mouth  of  Big  River,  and  said  "Fort  George?" 
The  man  smiled  and  nodded  assent  and  en- 
deavoured by  gestures  to  show  us  the  location  of 
the  channel  by  which  to  enter  the  river.' 

As  is  customary  in  that  country,  these  Indians 
offered  us  a  present,  some  dried  fish,  which  we 
declined  with  thanks  and  departed. 

The  channel,  we  knew  by  former  experience, 
is  deep,  but  changes  its  position  from  year  to 
year,  owing  to  the  shifting  of  the  sandbar  at  the 
river's  mouth.  Consequently,  special  precau- 


SO' 


73*30' 


79' 


EAST  MAIN  RIVER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  113 

tions  were  taken  by  placing  a  man  at  the  bow  of 
the  boat  with  a  sounding  pole,  and  thus  the  entrance 
into  the  river  was  made  successfully. 

Once  in  the  river  the  going  was  easy,  as  the 
channel  is  deep  and  wide  and  lies  wholly  along 
the  north  bank  for  a  distance  of  three  miles,  until 
nearly  opposite  the  Post  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company.  The  Post  is  located  on  the  north  side 
of  an  island,  which  is  about  six  miles  long  and 
divides  the  river  at  its  mouth.  From  here  the 
channel  swings  directly  across  the  river  and  follows 
the  bank  until  the  Post  is  reached. 

Shortly  after  entering  the  river  the  chug  of  the 
motor  boat  apparently  began  to  attract  attention, 
and  soon  many  forms  could  be  seen  hurrying 
along  the  pier,  so  that  by  the  time  we  were  oppo- 
site the  Post  it  was  crowded  with  dusky  men  in 
their  blue  capot  coats,  and  women  in  their  gaudy 
print  dresses  and  shawls. 

When  we  drew  up  alongside  the  pier  we  were 
about  as  much  interested  in  the  crowd  thereon  as 
they  were  in  us,  and  our  first  impulse  was  to  secure 
a  photograph  of  this  unique  assembly.  As  we 
stepped  on  to  the  landing,  the  crowd  at  the  top 
parted  and  Mr.  Griffith,  the  Factor,  passed  through 
and  down  to  meet  us.  A  moment  or  two  later 
came  the  Rev.  Mr.  Walton,  whose  acquaintance 
we  had  made  on  our  last  trip,  and  who,  with  the 
lapse  of  five  years  of  northern  missionary  life, 
looked  scarcely  a  day  older. 


ii4  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

The  usual  salutations  being  exchanged,  our 
first  question  was  regarding  the  York  boat  and 
its  party.  We  were  pleased  to  find  that  although 
their  guide  from  Rupert  House  had  deserted  them, 
they  had  been  able  to  secure  the  services  of  Husky 
Bill,  an  Eskimo  who  trades  at  Fort  George,  and 
whose  reputation  as  a  sailor  and  guide  is  known 
all  over  the  Bay. 

It  was  now  the  twenty-fourth  of  July,  and  as 
Mr.  Strong  and  his  party  had  left  on  the  eighteenth 
we  satisfied  ourselves  with  the  belief  that  they 
were  either  at  Clark  Island  or  else  very  close  to  it. 


CHAPTER  X 
Fort  George 

1FTER  a  short  conversation  with 
our  friends,  we  were  invited  to 
set  up  our  camp  adjacent  to  the 
Post  buildings  and  to  dine  with 
Mr.  Griffith  that  evening  at  the 
Factory. 

As  soon  as  we  could  get  the  camp  in  order  and 
don  our  town  clothes,  we  repaired  to  the  Factory 
to  partake  of  a  sumptuous  repast  in  real  civilized 
fashion,  the  first  for  nearly  a  month.  What  a 
pleasant  experience  it  was  to  sit  on  a  chair  and 
eat  appetizing  food  from  china  dishes,  with  silver 
cutlery,  on  a  real  table  covered  with  snow-white 
linen. 

As  before  mentioned,  Mrs.  Griffith  had  gone 
to  Rupert  House,  but  although  her  husband 
missed  the  company  of  his  wife  and  little  daughter, 
he  did  not  fare  so  badly,  having  a  number  of 
servants  to  attend  to  his  needs.  He  was  particu- 
larly fortunate  in  having  a  good  Indian  cook, 
who  had  been  practising  the  art  under  the  direction 
of  Mrs.  Griffith. 

On  entering  the  house,  we  were  strongly  re- 
"5 


n6  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

minded  of  our  former  visit.  Mr.  Gillies  was  the 
Factor  at  that  time,  and  during  the  intervening 
five  years  we  had  never  thought  of  Fort  George 
without  having  recollections  of  him  and  his  fine 
vegetable  garden.  It  had  been  a  great  surprise 
to  find  so  large  a  collection  of  vegetables  in  such 
a  well  kept  garden.  He  was  by  all  odds  the 
First  Prize  gardener  of  the  Hudson  Bay  country 
at  that  time,  and  we  are  told  that  he  still  maintains 
his  former  reputation. 

We  would  have  asked  the  Factor  concerning  the 
garden,  but  on  second  consideration,  decided  to 
wait  and  see  for  ourselves.  Mr.  Griffith  was  a 
young  Englishman  and  not  so  likely  to  be  advanced 
in  the  art  of  the  spade  and  the  hoe  and  our  pro- 
gnostications proved  correct.  That  fine  garden 
of  1907  had  vanished  with  the  season,  for  when 
Mr.  Gillies  was  transferred  to  Albany  Post,  the 
following  year,  the  garden  was  entirely  neglected. 

Later  in  the  evening,  we  accepted  an  invitation 
to  visit  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walton  at  the  Mission 
house.  The  Mission  is  allotted  a  block  of  land 
adjoining  the  Post  to  the  east,  on  which  there  is 
built  the  church,  the  Mission  house,  a  servants' 
house,  and  a  barn. 

The  Mission  house  is  a  fine  roomy  structure, 
built  of  logs,  well  clapboarded  and  painted,  two 
and  a  half  stories  high,  and  with  a  sheet  metal 
roof,  which  looks  strangely  modern  for  the  place. 
The  interior  of  the  house  is  most  homelike.  The 


The  Mission  Buildings,  Fort  George 


The  Mission  Garden,  Fort  George 


FORT  GEORGE  117 


large  living  room  with  its  piano,  library  table, 
bookcases,  easy  chairs,  oil  paintings,  fur  rugs,  etc., 
was  well  calculated  to  make  one  feel  that  life, 
even  on  Hudson  Bay,  could  be  made  attractive 
and  pleasant  and  was  really  not  shorn  of  all  the 
comforts  of  the  outside  world. 

Mr.  Walton  has  spent  twenty  years  on  the  Bay, 
and  the  evening  was  made  very  entertaining  and 
instructive  by  the  relating  of  his  experiences, 
which  led  to  many  discussions  on  the  features  of 
his  work  and  the  methods  he  employs.  He  is 
eminently  fitted  for  the  work,  having  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  Indian  and  Eskimo  languages. 
He  has  published  a  large  number  of  tracts  and, 
also,  has  arranged  a  great  many  hymns  in  these 
languages.  He  has  made  a  number  of  records  of 
these  hymns  and  distributed  them  among  those 
of  his  helpers  who  possess  phonographs.  We 
were  privileged  to  hear  some  of  the  records,  while 
at  the  Post  on  Great  Whale  River. 

Beside  conducting  all  the  services,  week-day 
and  Sunday,  he  is  constantly  attending  to  the 
sick,  for  he  is  the  sole  physician  of  the  place. 

In  addition  to  Mr.  Walton's  work  at  Fort 
George,  he  has  charge  of  the  Mission  at  Great 
Whale  River  Post,  which  he  maintains  with  the 
assistance  of  Nero,  an  Eskimo  lay  reader.  While 
he  may  make  other  trips  to  Great  Whale  River 
during  the  year,  it  is  Mr.  Walton's  custom  to 
spend  one  month  of  the  early  summer  with  his 


ii8  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Eskimo  people  there.  The  work  has  been  much 
facilitated  by  the  able  assistance  of  Mrs.  Walton, 
who  comes  from  a  family  long  in  the  official  ser- 
vice of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  who  has 
been  familiar  with  the  Indian  language  since 
childhood.  Of  their  family,  two  of  the  children 
are  now  being  educated  in  England. 

Mr.  Walton  has  had  many  thrilling  experiences 
during  his  career  on  the  Bay.  Noteworthy  amongst 
these  was  one  that  occurred  on  the  day  of  his 
marriage  and  while  on  his  wedding  tour,  which 
consisted  of  a  dog-team  trip  from  Fort  George 
to  Great  Whale  River  and  return.  It  was  while 
trying  to  make  a  record  run  at  night  that  they 
broke  through  an  air  hole  in  the  ice,  narrowly 
escaping  death. 

Mr.  Walton  recounted  his  many  experiences 
in  a  very  matter-of-fact  manner,  as  though  they 
were  mere  incidents  that  might  be  expected  as 
part  of  his  every-day  work. 

The  time  passed  quickly  in  the  congenial  sur- 
roundings of  the  Mission  house,  but  we  were 
forced  to  return  to  the  tent  early  as  we  had  left 
a  young  Indian  lad  to  guard  against  the  ravages 
of  the  dogs.  We  departed,  more  than  ever  im- 
pressed with  the  self-sacrifice  and  success  of  the 
Missionary  and  his  work,  for  Mr.  Walton's  influ- 
ence has  been  felt  throughout  the  entire  Bay, 
more  than  any  other  individual's,  and  so  greatly 
has  it  affected  the  people  under  his  charge,  that 


FORT  GEORGE  119 


they  repose  the  greatest  confidence  in  him,  and, 
in  fact,  seem  to  look  upon  him  as  almost  infallible. 

We  were  soon  to  have  a  strong  evidence  of  the 
preacher's  influence,  for  when  we  returned  to  the 
tent,  and  found  the  lad  patiently  awaiting  us,  we 
decided  to  reward  him  with  that  which  is  dearest 
to  the  Indian's  heart — something  to  eat  and 
drink.  We  made  him  a  cup  of  cocoa  and  gave 
him  some  biscuits,  and  when  handing  him  the 
former  said  jestingly,  eskootow  wapooi  (firewater). 
The  lad  jumped  as  if  he  had  been  hit  with  a  club 
and  attempted  a  hasty  exit  from  the  tent.  After 
much  coaxing,  he  was  persuaded  to  return,  and 
we  finally  induced  him  to  take  the  cocoa,  assuring 
him  that  Mr.  Walton  would  drink  it  and  that  it 
was  not  whisky. 

The  next  day  was  spent  in  examining  the  chan- 
nels and  the  harbour  of  the  Big  River  at  Fort 
George.  Mr.  A.  P.  Low  has  said  that  the  harbour 
at  that  place  is  the  finest  on  the  coast,  and  our 
observations  were  quite  in  accord  with  his. 

In  our  opinion,  Fort  George  is  destined  to  be 
one  of  the  most  important  places  on  the  Bay, 
when  the  east  coast  has  been  opened  up  and  the 
country  developed,  which  will  undoubtedly  follow 
the  completion  of  the  railway  to  the  southern  end 
of  the  Bay.  The  depth  of  channel  and  the  abun- 
dant protection  for  small  and  large  craft,  together 
with  the  possibilities  of  agriculture,  pulp,  and  tim- 
ber industries,  to  say  nothing  about  its  natural 


120  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

attractiveness,  will  undoubtedly  give  it  precedence 
over  other  ports. 

There  is  little  doubt  that,  if  the  Government 
were  to  establish  experimental  farms,  say  at 
Rupert  House,  Eastmain  River,  and  at  Fort 
George,  they  would  achieve  surprising  results. 
These  would  be  a  strong  factor  in  the  opening 
up  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  the  most 
southern  part  of  the  Bay,  and  in  transforming 
what  is  now  an  almost  trackless  forest  into  thriving 
rural  communities. 

The  advance  of  civilization  at  the  present  time 
to  the  frontiers  of  this  country  will  no  doubt 
cause  the  rise  of  serious  questions  which  the  country 
must  face  sooner  or  later. 

As  has  ever  been  the  case  where  Indian  people 
have  encountered  the  advances  of  the  white  man's 
civilization,  the  result  has  been  either  their  annihi- 
lation or  their  assimilation.  If  the  former  is  not 
to  be  the  case,  two  preventive  measures  should 
be  taken. 

Firstly,  educative :  Industrial  schools  like  those 
of  Western  Canada  should  be  established,  for  as 
the  white  man  crowds  the  Indian  from  his  natural 
means  of  livelihood,  it  certainly  becomes  the 
white  man's  duty  to  educate  and  fit  him  for  the 
farm  and  the  workshop,  to  the  end  that  he  may 
in  turn  be  qualified  to  earn  a  livelihood  for  him- 
self, and  do  his  share  in  the  development  of  his 
country. 


FORT  GEORGE  121 


Since  the  Indian  always  adopts  the  white 
man's  mode  of  attire  and  dwelling,  he  should  be 
taught  the  white  man's  knowledge  of  health  pre- 
servation and  sanitary  arrangements,  for  the 
latter  have  been  but  little  required  in  his  wigwam, 
and  very  naturally  he  knows  little  of  them.  Close, 
dark,  unventilated  houses,  often  steeped  in  filth 
and  rubbish,  the  accumulation  from  years  of  use 
without  cleaning,  are,  without  doubt,  some  of  the 
fundamental  causes  of  the  prevalence  of  tubercu- 
losis and  divers  loathsome  diseases  among  them. 

Secondly,  there  should  be  means  provided  so 
that  the  inhabitants  and  travellers  in  that  country, 
so  far  removed  from  a  source  of  medical  aid, 
may  have  proper  attention  in  time  of  injury  or 
disease,  and  that  sanitary  precautions,  such  as  the 
isolation  of  those  having  contagious  diseases, 
may  be  taken.  The  latter  is  particularly  necessary 
as  was  shown  by  the  measles  epidemic  of  a  few 
years  ago.  During  that  period  the  east  coast 
Indians  died  by  scores,  owing  purely  to  the  lack 
of  medical  supervision  and  authoritative  control. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  these  thousands  of  Indi- 
ans and  Eskimos  in  the  Hudson  Bay  country 
should  have  medical  attention  at  short  intervals; 
and  at  some  central  place,  say  Fort  George,  an 
established  hospital,  where  the  more  serious  cases 
might  enjoy  the  advantages  of  doctor,  nurse, 
and  comfortable  quarters. 

Late  in  the  day  we  were  destined  to  witness  a 


122  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

most  pathetic  scene  in  Indian  life.  We  had  been 
attempting  an  examination  of  the  upper  end  of 
the  island  and  were  returning,  having  been  de- 
feated by  swarms  of  black  flies  and  mosquitoes, 
for  the  day  was  exceedingly  hot  and  murky, 
excellent  weather  for  the  operations  of  these  little 
black  devils,  when  we  were  met  by  Mr.  Walton. 
He  informed  us  that  a  death  had  just  occurred, 
the  deceased  being  a  little  cripple  boy,  and  that 
the  burial  was  to  take  place  shortly  before  sun- 
down. 

It  is  customary  in  the  north  country  to  bury 
quickly  during  the  summer  months,  as  the  heat 
is  intense  and  they  have  no  means  of  preserving 
the  body.  Although  most  of  their  superstition 
has  been  given  up,  they  still  regard  the  dead 
body  with  an  awe  and  dread,  which  it  seems 
impossible  to  overcome.  An  Indian  will  rarely 
remain  with  a  person,  no  matter  how  closely  re- 
lated, if  he  feels  certain  that  death  will  soon  occur. 
It  is  very  seldom,  also,  that  a  tent  will  be  used  in 
which  any  member  of  the  family  has  died.  After 
death,  all  the  belongings  of  the  deceased  are 
bundled  up  and  hidden  in  some  out-of-the-way 
place,  never  to  be  used,  and  are  seldom  ever  seen 
again. 

We  were  told  that  one  of  the  Indians,  who 
died  the  previous  summer,  had  been  so  fearful  of 
a  visit  from  the  spirit  of  his  wife,  who  had  died 
a  short  time  before,  that  he  guarded  his  tent 


The  Family  of  "  The  Rat,  "  Fort  George 


An  Indian  Burial  at  Fort  George 


FORT  GEORGE  123 


carefully  every  night  by  enclosing  it  with  a  fence, 
consisting  of  four  posts  and  a  fishing  net,  through 
which  he  believed  the  spirit  would  not  pass. 

To  show  our  sympathy,  we  attended  the  funeral 
services  at  the  church  and  at  the  grave.  At 
the  conclusion  of  the  church  service,  the  body 
was  carried  in  the  little  coffin,  made  of  plain 
boards  and  painted  black,  on  a  bier  made  of  two 
poles  and  half  a  dozen  barrel  staves.  Over  the 
coffin  and  bier  was  thrown  a  black  cloth. 

The  procession  wended  its  way  slowly  and 
solemnly  across  the  meadow  to  the  cemetery, 
preceded  by  Mr.  Walton  in  his  clerical  robes. 
Leaving  the  meadow,  they  passed  down  a  short 
path  through  the  trees  and  carried  the  body  to  the 
newly-made  grave  in  the  little  cemetery,  where 
lie  many  of  the  natives  in  graves  unmarked  and 
forgotten. 

In  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  the  little  coffin 
was  lowered  into  the  grave,  and  the  burial  service 
read.  No  show  of  emotion  stirred  the  stolid 
faces  of  the  onlookers,  with  the  exception  of  the 
father  and  mother,  who,  strangely  contrary  to 
Indian  tradition,  wept  bitterly  as  the  grave  was 
being  refilled. 

When  the  service  was  over,  the  men  and  women 
stole  quietly  away,  leaving  the  bereaved  parents 
alone  with  the  minister.  Finally,  Mr.  Walton 
took  his  departure,  after  speaking  some  words 
of  comfort,  and  then,  side  by  side,  strange  to 


124  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

relate,  with  bowed  heads,  the  father  and  mother 
went  silently  back  to  their  own  tent. 

On  the  following  day,  the  Hudson 's  Bay  Com- 
pany's schooner  the  Pride  arrived  from  Charlton 
Island,  and  aboard  of  her  came  Bishop  Anderson. 
In  the  evening  we  repaired  to  the  Mission  house 
and  paid  our  respects  to  the  Bishop,  as  did  also 
the  Factors  of  the  two  trading  posts. 

A  very  pleasant  evening  was  spent  at  the  Mission 
house,  and  while  there  we  learned  it  was  the 
intention  of  the  Bishop  to  visit  Great  Whale  River. 
We  offered  to  carry  him  in  our  motor  boat  if  he 
were  willing  to  run  the  risk  of  travelling  in  so  small 
a  craft.  Mr.  Walton  informed  us  that  he  would 
be  glad  to  have  the  Bishop  accompany  us  if  we 
would  carry,  in  addition,  a  special  guide  whom 
he  would  provide.  This  we  assured  them  was 
quite  unnecessary  with  sailors  of  a  whole  month's 
experience,  but  the  Bishop  was  naturally  a  man  of 
much  importance,  and  as  Mr.  Walton  had  little  faith 
in  the  white  man's  ability  to  find  harbours  of  which 
he  had  never  heard,  should  he  need  them  in  time  of 
storm,  we  finally  agreed  to  take  Joseph,  the  guide. 

On  the  next  morning  (Sunday)  we  attended 
services  conducted  by  the  Bishop  in  the  pretty 
little  church.  This  visit  of  the  Bishop,  the  first 
in  two  years,  was  of  course  an  occasion  of  impor- 
tance at  Fort  George,  and  in  consequence,  every- 
body in  the  place,  attired  in  their  best,  attended 
the  various  services  of  the  day. 


Rev.  W.  G.  Walton 


At  Fort  George 


Bishop  Anderson 


FORT  GEORGE  125 


The  church  has  been  built  almost  entirely  by 
the  minister  and  his  assistant,  they  having  added 
a  much  needed  wing  that  summer.  It  is  of  wood 
throughout,  very  prettily  stencilled  in  various 
designs  and  appropriate  texts  of  scripture  in 
Indian  characters. 

In  the  afternoon  the  retiring  manager  of  the 
Revillon  Post  and  the  one  now  in  charge  came  and 
accompanied  us  to  their  residence,  where  we  were 
hospitably  entertained.  The  former  was  being 
transferred  to  Port  Harrison,  the  most  northerly 
trading  post  on  the  east  coast,  and  about  three 
hundred  miles  north  of  Fort  George.  Mr.  Al- 
dridge,  the  retiring  manager,  did  not  look  upon 
this  as  a  pleasant  change,  for  he  and  another 
would  be  the  only  white  men  at  the  place,  except 
when  the  steamer  made  its  annual  call. 

Port  Harrison  Post  has  been  established  but 
four  years,  and  in  that  time  has  become  one  of  the 
most  important  Revillon  posts  on  the  Bay.  The 
trading  is  entirely  with  the  Eskimos,  whose  catch 
is  mainly  the  white  fox,  seals,  walrus,  porpoise 
products;  and  polar  bears  also  contribute  to  their 
revenue. 

Monday  and  Tuesday  were  spent  in  completing 
the  investigations  and  in  getting  supplies  for  the 
continuance  of  the  trip  to  Great  Whale  Post. 


CHAPTER  XI 
Fort  George  to  Great  Whale  River 

UR  arrangements  were  all  completed 
by  Tuesday  evening,  and  on 
Wednesday  morning  we  were  to 
make  the  start  for  Great  Whale 
River  Post.  For  several  days  there 
had  been  wind  and  fog  on  the  Bay.  On  rising  at 
five  o'clock  on  Wednesday  morning,  the  weather 
although  foggy  showed  signs  of  improvement, 
so  we  decided  to  break  camp  and  load  the  boat. 
One  was  dispatched  to  the  Mission  house  to  notify 
the  Bishop  of  our  intended  departure  and  of  the 
necessity  of  having  his  guide  ready  and  the  baggage 
at  the  boat. 

The  news  that  the  Bishop  was  about  to  leave 
was  noised  around  the  place,  causing  quite  a 
commotion,  and  soon  the  people  began  to  gather 
at  the  pier  until,  at  the  time  of  our  departure, 
there  were  several  hundred  men,  women,  and 
children  assembled  to  say  farewell  and  to  bid 
the  Bishop  and  ourselves  "Godspeed." 

Joseph,  the  guide,  was  duly  installed  in  the 
pilot's  seat  and  we  started  down  the  river  toward 
the  Bay.  No  sooner  had  we  reached  it,  than  we 

126 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  127 

found  a  stiff  wind  blowing  from  the  north,  and 
the  sea  too  rough  to  travel  on,  especially  on  ac- 
count of  our  having  to  cross  Goose  Bay,  which, 
even  in  good  weather,  is  likely  to  be  rough.  Con- 
sequently, after  going  about  five  miles  we  were 
very  glad  to  take  advantage  of  the  shelter  offered 
by  Stromness  Harbour. 

Hoping  that  the  wind  might  go  down,  we  made 
ready  our  dinner  before  putting  up  the  tents. 
There  was  no  such  luck  awaiting  us,  for  the  ele- 
ments seemed  determined  to  thwart  our  plans, 
and  for  several  days  we  were  held  in  this  harbour. 
We  could  scarcely  have  found  a  place  with  better 
camping  facilities,  as  there  was  an  abundance  of 
wood  and  water  and  good  shelter  from  the  wind  by 
the  side  of  a  large  clump  of  willows  and  fir  trees. 

The  water  at  this  place  introduced  us  to  a  new 
problem.  It  was  alive  with  millions  of  small  red 
insects,  about  the  shape  of  a  shrimp  and  varying 
in  size  from  that  of  a  small  black  fly  to  that  of  the 
point  of  a  pin.  By  straining  the  water  through 
a  cloth,  we  were  able  to  remove  all  that  could  be 
seen  of  these,  but  in  addition,  as  an  added  pre- 
caution, we  boiled  the  water  before  using  it. 

As  the  culinary  department  was  about  the  only 
one  that  demanded  our  attention  at  the  time  and 
having  as  our  guest  the  Bishop,  a  man  apparently 
possessed  of  fine  digestive  powers,  we  decided  that 
he  was  a  fit  subject  on  which  to  test  some  of  our 
experiments  in  the  line  of  cookery. 


128  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Having  previously  been  successful  in  the  con- 
coction of  rhubarb  puddings  boiled  in  a  canvas 
sample  bag,  we  determined  to  try  our  hand  that 
day  on  a  boiled  date  pudding.  Luckily  the 
pudding  was  voted  a  success,  although  the  side 
of  the  bag  in  which  it  was  boiled  was  scorched 
out.  The  best  proof  of  this  was  the  fact  that  it 
was  entirely  demolished,  and  even  Joseph  smiled 
broadly,  as  he  was  asked  to  have  a  third  helping. 
In  fact,  from  this  time  on  we  always  knew  when 
Joseph  liked  the  dessert,  for,  whereas  two  helpings 
were  quite  sufficient  if  it  were  ordinary,  a  third 
was  none  too  many  if  it  suited  his  fancy. 

The  second  day  was  wet  and  windy  so  we  made 
ourselves  as  comfortable  as  the  cold,  damp  weather 
would  permit,  and  stayed  in  camp.  About  noon 
a  sailboat  entered  the  harbour  from  the  north, 
and  when  the  crew  were  told  of  the  presence  of 
the  Bishop,  they  came  ashore  to  meet  him,  bring- 
ing a  fine  duck  as  a  present.  After  they  had 
partaken  liberally  of  a  lunch,  which  was  prepared 
for  them,  they  departed  in  order  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  north  wind,  which  was  a  fair  one  for 
them.  They  were  from  Fort  George,  having 
been  delivering  supplies  at  various  camps  along 
the  coast  for  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  How 
strange  it  seemed  to  see  such  up-to-date  methods 
of  business — delivery  of  groceries  without  charge, 
in  such  a  remote  portion  of  the  country. 

In  the  evening,  the  duck  was  made  into  stew 


Fisher  Women  at  Fort  George 


Watching  our  Departure  from  Fort  George 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  129 

in  which  were  cooked  huge  dumplings,  the  thought 
of  which  makes  us  hungry  even  now. 

This  was  the  first  of  August,  the  summer  was 
half  over,  and  we  were  but  half  way  to  our  north- 
ern objective,  a  very  serious  thought  as  the  evening 
came  without  any  change  in  the  weather  conditions. 

On  the  morrow  we  were  destined  to  a  pleasant 
surprise,  for  although  the  weather  was  still  cloudy 
and  a  fog  was  hanging  over  the  Bay,  the  water 
was  calm  enough  to  permit  of  our  travelling.  We 
were  on  board  and  ready  to  start  at  half  past 
four  o'clock.  When  once  outside  of  the  harbour's 
protection,  we  found  conditions  were  about  as 
bad  as  they  had  been  when  we  entered  it,  but  it 
was  too  much  like  quitting  for  us  to  turn  back, 
so  we  decided  to  risk  it  and  go  ahead.  How 
Joseph  found  the  course  without  a  compass  was 
a  mystery  to  us,  for  only  in  a  few  spots  could 
the  outlines  of  the  land  be  seen. 

At  last,  the  third  prominent  landmark  of  the 
Bay  hove  in  sight.  It  was  Wastikon,  a  bare, 
treeless  rock,  which  rises  from  the  water  near  the 
northern  point  of  Goose  Bay,  about  fifteen  miles 
from  Fort  George.  It  is  very  high,  although  not 
so  high  as  either  Sherrick  Mount  or  Cape  Hope 
Islands,  nevertheless  it  can  be  seen  on  a  clear  day 
for  many  miles. 

Here  there  was  an  Eskimo  camp,  and  as  we 
drew  near,  one  of  the  men  launched  his  kyak  and 
paddled  toward  us.  We  stopped  and  awaited  his 

9 


130  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

approach,  which  he  made  with  amazing  rapidity. 
After  the  usual  greetings,  he  produced  some  fine 
salmon  trout,  which  he  presented  to  us,  receiving 
some  sugar  in  return. 

Leaving  our  visitor  we  crossed  to  a  group  of 
islands  to  the  north  of  Wastikon  and  there  stopped 
for  breakfast.  In  the  meantime  the  fog  had 
lifted  slightly,  so  when  the  meal  was  finished,  the 
journey  was  resumed  until  the  first  group  of 
islands,  which  forms  the  southern  part  of  the 
Pipestone  gutway,  was  reached.  By  that  time, 
the  wind,  which  was  dismissing  the  fog,  was  raising 
a  heavy  sea,  consequently  we  decided  to  camp  for 
dinner  and  await  weather  developments. 

No  improvement  took  place  during  the  after- 
noon, so  camp  was  prepared  for  the  night.  This 
was  one  of  the  pleasantest  camps  of  the  journey. 
It  was  pitched  on  a  fine,  mossy  spot,  with  plenty 
of  wood  and  water  at  hand.  It  seemed  as  though 
we  were  either  travelling  in  a  portion  of  the  coun- 
try that  abounded  in  good  camping  places,  or  else 
that  we  were  guided  by  fortune  to  where  the  exist- 
ing ones  were. 

During  the  afternoon,  one  of  the  party  had  an 
experience  which  created  a  great  deal  of  excite- 
ment for  some  time,  but  from  which  he  escaped 
without  mishap.  He  had  never  managed  a  canoe 
by  himself,  to  any  extent,  until  he  left  Moose 
Factory  on  the  trip,  and  although  at  this  time 
he  could  control  one  fairly  well  if  accompanied  by 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RlfER  131 

another  in  quiet  water,  he  was  hardly  qualified 
to  go  alone  in  a  strong  wind.  However,  some 
provisions  were  required  from  the  boat  and  he 
volunteered  to  go  for  them  alone. 

Nobody  thought  of  there  being  any  danger,  so 
he  put  off  unaccompanied.  The  wind,  now  quite 
a  gale,  was  with  him  on  the  way  out,  so  that  all 
went  well  until  he  tried  to  turn  up  to  the  side  of 
the  boat.  As  he  turned  his  canoe,  its  bow,  high 
out  of  the  water,  caught  the  full  force  of  the  wind, 
and  although  he  paddled  his  hardest,  he  was 
swept  swiftly  past  the  boat.  Now  came  the  tug 
of  war,  as  he  turned  around  completely  and  tried 
again,  but  with  the  same  result.  The  seriousness 
of  the  situation  dawned  upon  all,  and  was  mani- 
fested in  those  on  the  beach  by  much  shouting  of 
advice  to  the  one  in  the  canoe,  although  it  was 
quite  unintelligible  at  such  a  distance,  owing  to 
the  high  wind. 

There  being  only  one  canoe  it  was  impossible 
to  go  to  his  assistance,  a  fact  that  made  the  situa- 
tion all  the  more  grave.  After  several  attempts, 
he  managed  to  reach  the  boat  with  the  bow  of  his 
canoe,  but  being  unable  to  bring  the  stern,  in 
which  he  was  seated,  around  to  the  side,  was  blown 
away  again  and  again.  The  excitement  and 
exertion  were  beginning  to  show  their  effects  on 
him.  The  onlookers  tried  to  advise  him  by  signals 
from  the  shore,  which  eventually  proved  more 
effective  than  their  shouting  had  done,  for  chang- 


132  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

ing  his  position  to  the  centre  of  the  canoe,  as  they 
had  been  trying  to  direct  him,  he  was  immediately 
in  control  and  reached  the  boat,  and  later  the 
shore,  a  wearied  but  a  much  wiser  man. 

The  island  was  absolutely  without  any  protec- 
tion for  a  camp.  Our  tents  were  pitched  on  really 
the  highest  point  of  the  island,  as  it  was  the  only 
dry,  soft,  grassy  place  to  be  found.  Elsewhere 
it  was  almost  entirely  composed  of  smooth,  bare 
rock. 

The  night  was  damp  and  foggy,  so  a  huge  camp- 
fire  of  drift  cedar  stumps  was  built  in  front  of  our 
tent.  With  the  tent  flaps  thrown  back,  we  seated 
ourselves  comfortably  in  the  warmth  of  the  fire, 
and  by  its  light  the  Bishop  conducted  the  usual 
evening  devotions. 

As  the  next  morning  proved  too  stormy  to 
permit  of  our  striking  out  to  sea,  Joseph  proposed 
that  we  should  follow  the  sinuous  route  of  the 
gutway.  The  channel,  although  not  very  deep, 
is  sufficiently  so  for  the  passage  of  the  Companies' 
sailboats,  when  piloted  by  experienced  men.  As 
Joseph  was  a  regular  pilot,  he  knew  the  course  per- 
fectly, and  felt  sure  that  he  could  take  us  through 
without  difficulty.  We  accordingly  embarked 
about  eleven  o'clock.  Shortly  after  starting,  the 
wind  rose  even  higher,  but  we  were  protected 
from  the  heavy  seas  by  the  multitude  of  islands 
through  which  we  passed. 

The  experience  of  the  morning  certainly  served 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER.  133 

to  impress  us  with  the  nature  of  a  gutway.  Its 
winding  way  led  us  to  all  points  of  the  compass, 
and  its  many  shoals  were  a  source  of  constant 
anxiety  to  the  man  at  the  helm. 

During  the  morning  we  passed  the  low-lying 
shores  at  the  entrance  to  Paul  Bay,  and  stopped 
for  dinner  about  three  o'clock  on  an  island  which 
proved  to  be  devoid  of  any,  except  rotten,  wood. 
On  landing  everybody  started  on  a  hunt  for 
wood,  and  it  was  fully  half  an  hour  before  enough 
was  found  to  boil  the  tea  water.  Search  was  also 
made  for  water,  without  avail,  until  the  camping 
place  was  again  reached,  where  a  spring  was  dis- 
covered within  a  hundred  feet  of  the  spot.  The 
island,  unlike  most  we  had  visited,  was  covered 
with  a  thick  growth  of  Arctic  moss,  but  here 
and  there  its  surface  was  dotted  with  beds  of  the 
most  beautiful  varicoloured  flowers,  specimens  of 
which  were  added  to  our  collection,  which  every 
day  was  becoming  larger  and  more  interesting. 

Considerable  time  had  been  lost  in  the  search 
for  fuel,  but  as  the  day  was  now  calm  and  bright 
and  there  were  prospects  of  another  good  long 
run,  much  haste  was  made  with  the  meal,  and 
before  long  we  had  it  finished,  the  kitchen  packed, 
and  were  aboard  the  boat  again. 

Scarcely  had  we  been  out  half  an  hour,  when 
huge  clouds  appeared  in  the  west,  and  as  they 
came  rolling  on  toward  us,  told  of  the  approach 
of  a  dangerous  storm.  Joseph  began  to  look  for 


134  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

a  harbour,  but  before  we  could  reach  one,  a  furious 
driving  rainstorm  settled  down  and  almost  hid 
the  island  for  which  we  were  steering.  A  place 
of  protection  from  the  storm  was  found  in  a  har- 
bour which  lay  between  two  islands,  but  we  were 
still  doomed  to  mishap,  for  the  tide  was  exceed- 
ingly low  and  the  water  consequently  shallow. 
The  propeller  was  soon  clogged  with  seaweed, 
leaving  the  boat  uncontrollable  with  the  rudder. 
We  were  immediately  blown  ashore,  and  it  was 
with  considerable  difficulty  that  the  boat  was 
polled  against  the  wind  into  a  safe  anchoring 
place. 

It  was  Saturday  evening  and  accordingly  the 
camp  was  destined  to  be  a  Sunday  one.  To  find 
a  suitable  place  to  erect  our  tents,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  go  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
landing  place,  so  that  by  the  time  the  camp  was 
made  and  the  supper  cooked  it  was  dark. 

Sunday  proved  to  be  a  beautiful,  bright,  sunny 
day,  but  with  high  winds,  so  it  was  spent  quietly. 
A  good  long  sleep  in  the  morning  and  an  early 
retirement  in  the  evening,  with  morning  and 
evening  devotions  by  the  Bishop,  gave  little  time 
for  aught  else  save  the  preparing  and  eating  of 
two  meals. 

At  three  o'clock  on  Monday  morning  Joseph 
called  us,  announcing  a  clear  day  and  no  sea. 
We  prepared  a  hasty  breakfast  and  were  ready  to 
sail  by  six  o'clock.  We  had  gone  only  a  short 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RI^ER  135 

distance  when  the  wind  freshened  considerably, 
but  keeping  well  in  the  shelter  of  the  islands  which 
bordered  the  coast  we  encountered  but  few  rough 
places.  The  sea  was  very  rough  beyond  the 
islands,  as  in  the  short,  unprotected  openings  it 
would  dash  high  over  our  front  deck  and  prob- 
ably would  have  swamped  us  had  it  not  been 
for  the  canvas  boat  cover  which  rendered  good 
service. 

We  had  been  travelling  but  an  hour,  when  ice 
cakes  were  sighted  seaward,  probably  two  miles 
out.  The  ice  appeared  in  larger  quantities  as  the 
morning  advanced,  and  about  five  miles  off  Cape 
Jones  it  had  grown  to  be  an  immense  field,  closely 
packed.  Between  this  and  the  shore  the  ice  was 
scattered,  piled  up  in  great  heaps  over  the  shoals, 
but  sufficiently  open  for  us  to  dodge  in  and  out 
through  it,  right  up  to  the  harbour  on  the  south 
side  of  Cape  Jones. 

This  point  is  the  dividing  one  between  James 
and  Hudson  Bays,  and  we  had  been  looking  for- 
ward to  seeing  it,  with  not  only  much  interest, 
but  with  considerable  anxiety,  as  it  is  one  of  the 
most  dangerous  localities  for  navigation  on  the 
east  coast.  This  danger  is  due  to  the  shoaly 
character  of  the  water,  huge  boulders  often  coming 
nearly  to  the  surface;  to  the  swift,  adverse,  tidal 
currents,  and  to  the  winds  which  are  nearly  always 
blowing  at  the  Cape. 

The  vicinity  of  Cape  Jones  has  been  a  favourite 


136  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

camping  place  of  the  Eskimos  for  many  years, 
there  being  specially  good  salmon  rivers  and  lakes 
a  short  distance  back  in  the  interior.  The  expecta- 
tion of  visiting  these  camps  again  and  securing 
some  of  the  fish,  had  grown  from  day  to  day,  and 
as  we  came  near  the  harbour  at  Cape  Jones,  one 
of  our  chief  concerns  was  whether  our  old  friends 
would  be  found  there  or  not. 

As  we  entered  the  Bay  to  the  south  of  Cape 
Jones,  on  that  beautiful  sunny  afternoon  of  August 
the  fifth,  the  sight  was  a  most  impressive  one. 
Directly  ahead  of  us,  extending  far  out  into  the 
sea,  lay  the  Cape  as  though  it  were  a  great  hand, 
the  points  reaching  out  like  fingers,  beginning  as 
shoals  and  sloping  gently  upwards  and  back  to 
form  the  high  hills  which  border  the  main  coast. 

Piled  high  upon  the  shoals  and  outlying  reefs 
and  in  the  deeper  water  as  a  closely  packed  field, 
stretching  far  out  to  sea,  the  ice  made  a  dazzling 
sight  as  it  glittered  in  the  bright  sunshine.  Around 
us  floated  countless  ice  cakes,  detached  from  the 
field  by  the  winds  and  tidal  currents,  some  but  a 
few  cubic  feet  in  volume,  while  others  were  as 
large  as  a  cottage  above  the  water,  their  total 
size  being,  as  is  always  the  rule,  nine  times  as 
large.  These  big  cakes  were  often  like  huge  pieces 
of  statuary,  worn  by  the  sun  into  shapes,  some- 
times exceedingly  lifelike,  at  others  into  grotesque 
figures,  which  readily  suggested  to  our  imagina- 
tion those  depicted  in  ancient  mythology.  On 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIYER  137 

one  side  would  be  seen  a  perfect  statue  of  a  sleep- 
ing polar  bear,  and  on  another  a  giant  grotto  with 
imps  and  elves  in  the  most  exaggerated  exhibitions 
of  contortion. 

To  our  delight  we  soon  spied  the  Eskimo  camp. 
Its  location  was  at  once  picturesque,  and  yet  bare 
of  that  appearance  of  hospitality  that  green  fields 
and  forests  lend  to  the  dwelling  places  of  their 
more  southern  neighbours.  The  camp  was  pitched 
at  the  base  of  the  steep  rocky  hill  which  rises 
abruptly  from  the  water's  edge,  leaving  but  a 
narrow  beach.  There  were  three  marquees  in 
sight  and  figures  could  be  seen  moving  about  them, 
proving  to  our  satisfaction  that  they  saw  us  and 
soon  would  be  out  with  their  fish. 

By  dint  of  careful  manoeuvring  amongst  the 
shoals  that  border  the  deep  but  tortuous  channel, 
we  finally  arrived  in  a  snug  little  harbour  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Cape  and  anchored  there.  Hav- 
ing had  nothing  to  eat  since  breakfast  (it  was 
long  past  noon),  we  took  our  "grub"  ashore  and, 
after  eating,  went  to  reconnoitre  the  ice  situation 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Cape,  from  the  top  of  the 
hill. 

The  view  from  the  hilltop  showed  that  any 
attempt  to  round  the  Cape  would  not  only  be 
futile  at  this  time,  but  very  dangerous.  The  late 
north  winds  had  packed  the  ice  amongst  the 
numerous  islands,  which  lie  between  the  Cape  and 
Long  Island,  very  tightly,  and  that  through 


IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 


which  we  might  be  able  to  wind  our  way  was 
moving  swiftly  with  the  tidal  currents,  with  the 
consequent  danger  of  crushing  the  small  craft. 

As  far  as  we  could  see  up  Long  Island  Sound, 
the  ice  was  closely  packed,  except  for  narrow  lanes 
which  began  and  terminated  abruptly.  To  the 
south  and  west  the  field  stretched  for  miles,  grow- 
ing gradually  narrower  and  more  open  as  its 
distance  from  the  Cape  increased. 

As  there  was  no  hope  of  proceeding,  we  returned 
to  the  boat  for  the  camping  outfit  and  prepared 
a  comfortable  camp  for  an  indefinite  stay.  We 
felt  sure  that  a  change  of  wind  would  break  up 
the  field  and  enable  us  to  proceed. 

The  spot  offered  an  ideal  place  for  a  camp.  A 
high  cliff  protected  it  from  the  cold  north  wind; 
a  fine  grassy  spot  contributed  a  soft  bed  in  the 
absence  of  boughs;  smooth,  flat  rocks  a  short 
distance  from  the  tent  contained  pools  of  fine, 
fresh  water;  and  along  the  beach,  plenty  of  drift- 
wood offered  us  fuel  without  much  labour. 

We  had  been  at  work  getting  up  the  tents  but 
a  few  minutes,  when  a  group  of  Eskimos  appeared 
on  the  cliffs  above  and  began  descending  to  the 
level  of  the  camp.  They  came  shyly  up  to  us 
and  one  by  one  offered  to  shake  hands,  saying 
hoyk  and  smiling  broadly.  There  was  one  man 
who  was  nearly  blind,  being  led  by  two  bright 
little  boys  who  looked  much  like  twins,  about 
twelve  years  of  age,  and  who  could  speak  a  little 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIYER  139 

English,  having  lived  at  the  Rupert  House  Post 
for  a  while. 

There  were  two  women  in  the  party,  one  young 
and  apparently  the  blind  man's  wife,  the  other 
a  very  old  woman  whose  bent  form,  shrivelled 
countenance,  and  scraggly,  white  hair,  hanging 
partly  over  her  face,  reminded  one  strongly  of 
the  pictures  of  witches  that  in  our  infant  days 
adorned  the  pages  of  our  picture  books,  but  whose 
genial  smile  could  not  help  but  inspire  confidence 
and  respect  to  which  her  age  was  entitled.  The 
man  and  the  boys  were  dressed  in  the  typical 
capot  shirts  of  duck  bagging  with  trousers  to 
match,  tucked  into  the  tops  of  their  sealskin  boots. 
The  former  are  devoid  of  buttons,  have  a  hood, 
are  pulled  over  the  head,  and  hang  loosely  about 
the  body.  The  women  were  in  English  print 
dresses  and  wore  shawls  over  their  heads.  These 
articles  of  clothing  are  obtained  at  the  trading 
posts.  On  the  man's  back  was  a  bag  which  he 
took  off  after  the  salutations  were  over  and  pre- 
sented to  us.  It  contained  about  a  dozen  salmon 
trout  and  whitefish,  which  would  average  nearly 
two  pounds  apiece. 

Not  content  to  come  without  some  gift,  the 
old  lady  brought  an  armful  of  dry  cedar  for  start- 
ing the  fire.  The  kindness  and  generosity  of  these 
people  of  the  North  has  always  aroused  our  admira- 
tion for  them,  but  the  simple  act  of  this  old  woman 
impressed  us  more  than  anything  else  of  the  kind. 


140  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Joseph  understood  a  little  of  the  Eskimo  lan- 
guage and  managed  to  gain  some  information 
from  them,  viz.,  that  the  ice  which  composed  the 
field  had  formed  in  the  vicinity  during  the  previous 
winter,  and  after  breaking  up  had  not  moved 
northward  and  out  of  the  Hudson  Straits,  as  was 
usual,  but  had  been  held  there  by  the  adverse 
winds,  for  the  first  time  in  the  memory  of  these 
people.  The  ice  field  was  much  diminished  in 
size  by  this  time,  owing  to  the  rapid  evaporation 
during  the  late  warm  weather. 

The  recent  winds  had  been  very  heavy  ones 
from  the  north,  with  the  result  that  the  ice  was 
jammed  tighter  than  ever  amongst  the  islands 
and  in  the  sound.  We  also  learned  that  the  other 
party,  in  the  York  boat,  had  passed  through 
before  the  recent  tightening  of  the  ice,  and  were 
probably  a  long  distance  ahead. 

We  were  much  disappointed  at  the  delay,  but 
Joseph  was  at  the  height  of  his  ambition,  for  he 
and  the  Bishop  could  have  service  with  the  Eski- 
mos every  day  as  long  as  we  remained,  which 
they  proceeded  to  do  that  very  evening,  much  to 
the  delight  of  these  natives,  who  only  hear  a 
minister  a  few  times  each  year  and  the  Bishop 
only  once  in  two  or  more  years. 

Two  more  days  were  spent  at  this  camp.  Each 
morning,  early,  we  would  proceed  to  the  hilltop 
in  order  to  observe  the  condition  of  the  ice  field, 
only  to  return  to  the  camp  with  the  disappointing 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  141 

news  that  the  outlook  was  no  better.  The  days 
were  spent  in  cooking,  sewing,  and  such  other 
jobs  as  can  best  be  done  in  a  settled  camp. 

We  had  many  visits  from  our  Husky  friends  in 
the  meantime.  Coming  up  quietly,  they  would 
squat  down,  Turk  fashion,  a  few  yards  away, 
there  to  watch  our  every  movement,  often  passing 
quiet  remarks  among  themselves  and  smiling 
broadly,  as  we  thought,  at  our  outlandish  methods 
of  doing  things. 

On  the  occasion  of  one  of  these  visits,  we  were 
busily  engaged  in  baking  a  deep  rhubarb  pie  from 
the  remains  of  some  preserves  we  had  made  at 
Fort  George,  when  several  of  them  came  up  and 
stood  in  a  group,  watching  the  operation  with  much 
curiosity.  The  men  had  just  returned  from  Fort 
George,  having  arrived  at  that  place  on  the  night 
previous  to  our  departure,  and  had  told  of  the 
ice  conditions  at  the  Cape,  but  too  late  for  the 
information  to  reach  us. 

The  women,  who  were  evidently  the  wives  of 
the  men,  were  very  plump,  short,  and,  above  all, 
pleasant  creatures,  not  at  all  bad-looking  for 
people  of  their  type.  One  of  them  had  a  child. 
It  was  laced  tightly  in  a  sort  of  bag  of  black 
plush,  with  only  its  head  free.  This  interesting 
package  was  carried  on  the  mother's  back,  in  a 
shawl  folded  V-shape,  tied  at  the  ends,  and  hung 
around  her  neck.  We  tried  to  separate  her  from 
the  rest  to  take  her  photograph  with  the  baby  on 


142  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

her  back,  but  she  evidently  misunderstood,  for 
before  the  camera  could  be  focussed,  she  lifted 
the  youngster  out  of  the  shawl,  sat  down  on  the 
ground,  and  commenced  nursing  it. 

These  women,  like  the  former  ones,  were  clad 
in  print  dresses,  but  had  added  a  touch  of  native 
colour  to  their  costumes  in  the  form  of  a  broad 
U-shaped  scarf  or  apron,  hung  from  the  waist  at 
the  back.  This  was  made  of  heavy  black  or 
white  cloth  and  was  roughly  embroidered  in  many 
colours  of  silk.  Joseph  informed  us  that  these 
scarfs  are  worn  by  most  all  of  the  Eskimo  women 
and  vary  in  length  according  to  the  age  of  the 
wearer.  These  visits  were  replete  with  interest- 
ing and  instructive  experiences,  and  helped  to 
keep  up  the  spirits  of  the  party  in  the  face  of  the 
discouraging  conditions,  for  the  weather  was  the 
finest  for  travelling  since  the  day  of  our  departure 
from  Rupert  House  and  we  were  unable  to  make 
use  of  it. 

On  the  evening  of  the  third  day  we  walked  over 
the  high  hills  and  across  a  valley  to  a  second 
range,  the  ranges  running  back  at  right  angles  to 
the  coastline,  a  distance  of  about  three  miles,  to 
get  a  better  look  at  the  ice  in  the  sound.  We 
found  that  it  had  opened  up  considerably,  al- 
though not  enough  to  let  us  pass  the  islands. 
However,  a  south  wind  was  blowing,  and  it  seemed 
that  chances  were  good  for  open  water  in  the 
morning. 


W-  I 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  143 

The  walk  in  both  directions  across  the  valley 
was  a  trying  one.  Millions  of  mosquitoes  swarmed 
about  our  heads,  getting  into  our  mouths,  ears, 
noses,  and  eyes,  and  biting  us  until  we  were  com- 
pelled to  cover  our  heads  with  large  handkerchiefs 
and  run  for  the  hilltop  where  the  breeze  would 
blow  the  tormentors  away. 

We  were  up  on  the  following  morning  at  a 
quarter  to  three  and  ascended  the  hill  again  to 
see  the  condition  of  the  ice.  The  sun  had  not 
yet  risen,  but  it  was  quite  light,  and  we  could  see 
that  the  sound  beyond  was  fairly  clear.  The 
ice  seemed  to  be  tightly  jammed  between  the 
Cape  and  the  islands.  There  was  practically  no 
wind  when  we  arose  and  the  day  gave  promise 
of  being  an  ideal  one  for  travelling,  but  at  sunrise 
a  stiff  breeze  sprang  up  from  the  north-east. 

Everything  being  packed  ready  for  starting, 
it  seemed  hard  to  abandon  the  idea  of  resuming 
the  journey.  Mac  and  Joseph  vigorously  op- 
posed such  an  attempt,  asserting  that  it  would 
be  too  great  a  risk  to  venture  out  among  the  ice 
cakes,  moving  rapidly  under  the  influence  of 
wind  and  tide,  any  of  which  would  have  been 
sufficient  to  crush  our  small  craft  like  an  egg 
shell.  At  their  suggestion  it  was  decided  to 
await  further  developments. 

About  six  o'clock  the  wind  fell  and  it  was  deter- 
mined to  attempt  the  passage  through  the  ice 
field.  With  feelings  somewhat  akin  to  excitement 


144  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

we  started  down  a  lane  of  open  water  scarcely 
fifteen  feet  wide,  bordered  on  either  side  by  long 
lines  of  closely-packed  ice  blocks,  moving  out 
with  the  tide. 

Such  a  clear  way  was  not  to  be  our  portion  for 
long,  as  was  early  discovered,  the  course  necessi- 
tating a  passage  through  one  of  the  lines  of  ice 
blocks,  at  right  angles  to  its  direction  of  motion. 
Approaching  it  slowly,  Joseph  watched  his  op- 
portunity to  make  a  dash  through  an  opening 
which  was  sufficiently  wide  to  admit  the  boat. 
That  this  was  risky  business  was  soon  emphasized, 
for  no  sooner  had  the  boat  gotten  through,  than 
the  blocks  came  swiftly  together,  catching  the 
canoe  amidships.  Fortunately  it  rose  out  of  the 
water  as  the  ice  came  together,  and  although  it 
nearly  dumped  the  cargo,  the  canoe  was  un- 
damaged. From  this  time  on  for  nearly  an  hour, 
we  dodged  between  great  blocks  of  ice  which 
moved  aimlessly  about,  or  ran  the  gauntlet  through 
lanes  of  moving  ice.  There  were  many  narrow 
escapes,  but  fortunately  no  more  collisions. 

When  the  Cape  was  finally  rounded,  much  more 
open  water  was  found  although  there  were  still 
many  ice  cakes,  some  of  them  of  huge  dimensions. 
It  was  with  feelings  of  great  relief  at  having  passed 
another  danger  point,  Cape  Jones,  that  we  made 
our  way  up  Long  Island  Sound,  twenty-five  miles 
long  and  six  miles  wide. 

From  Fort  George  to  the  Cape,  the  shores  are 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RlfER  145 

low  and  the  scenery  is  of  little  interest,  showing 
a  constant  sameness  which  is  tiring  to  the  eye. 
At  Cape  Jones  a  decided  change  takes  place,  the 
low  shores  giving  way  to  high,  rocky  hills.  The 
former  are  characteristic  of  James  Bay,  and 
the  latter  of  Hudson  Bay. 

The  scenery  in  the  sound  was  of  the  most  rugged 
nature,  the  shores  of  the  mainland  rising  in  steep, 
rocky  slopes,  to  an  elevation  of  several  hundred 
feet,  a  short  distance  back  from  the  water,  bare 
of  all  vegetation,  save  Arctic  moss  and  a  few 
patches  of  scrubby  spruce. 

Here  and  there  a  valley  opens  as  a  portal  to  the 
inland  country,  and  in  these  sheltered  places  some- 
times a  gentle  slope  would  be  seen  in  the  distance, 
covered  with  short  grass,  giving  it  an  appearance 
of  pasture  land.  This  was  in  fact  more  particu- 
larly noticeable  on  the  long  slopes  at  the  south- 
ern side  of  Cape  Jones.  At  other  places  these 
valleys  were  thickly  wooded  with  scrubby  spruce. 
On  the  island  side  of  the  sound,  high  cliffs  of 
limestone,  sometimes  capped  with  a  growth  of 
evergreens,  were  to  be  seen. 

The  sound,  with  the  exception  of  its  southern  en- 
trance, is  devoid  of  islands,  but  prominent  hills, 
easily  distinguishable  by  their  peculiar  forms,  indi- 
cated by  such  names  as  the  Indians  have  given 
them,  occur  at  intervals  along  the  mainland.  Of 
these,  White  Bear  Hills  and  Split  Rock  are  the  most 
prominent  and  stand  out  as  landmarks  for  fully 


146  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

twenty  miles.  The  latter  consists  of  two  bold 
peaks,  which  rise  but  a  short  distance  from  each 
other,  while  the  former  are  rounded  hills  of  white 
weathered  rock,  suggestive  to  the  Indians  of 
crouching  white  bears. 

All  the  way  up  the  sound,  the  monotony  of  the 
tortuous  course  through  the  ice  was  relieved  by 
the  interesting  scenery  on  either  side,  and  the 
wonderfully  realistic  forms  depicted  by  the  action 
of  the  sun  on  the  ice  cakes.  On  one  side  would 
be  seen  a  miniature  castle  with  its  battlements, 
on  the  other  a  hideous  sea  dragon,  with  uplifted 
head,  while  near  by  would  be  a  pair  of  huge  birds 
with  outstretched  wings,  or  a  lady's  head  on 
which  would  be  poised  a  most  fantastic  hat. 

The  ice  so  occupied  our  attention  one  way  or 
another  that  unconsciously  little  heed  was  given 
to  the  mainland,  a  fact  which  later  caused  us 
regret,  for  on  the  return  trip  we  failed  to  recognize 
it  sufficiently  well  to  locate  our  position,  at  a  time 
when  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance. 

Late  in  the  morning  we  saw  a  mist  ahead  and 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  another  ice  pack  was 
the  cause  of  it.  About  twelve  o'clock  Little  Cape 
Jones  was  sighted  several  miles  ahead,  and  nearing 
the  north  end  of  Long  Island  Sound,  we  found 
similar  conditions  of  ice  to  those  encountered  at 
Cape  Jones.  At  first  sight  it  appeared  impossible 
to  proceed  farther,  but  drawing  nearer  and  enter- 
ing the  outskirts  of  the  field,  it  was  discovered 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  147 

that  by  careful  manoeuvring  we  would  be  able  to 
pick  a  course  through  it. 

As  at  Cape  Jones  proper,  the  Little  Cape  is 
conspicuous  for  its  high  hills.  The  resemblance 
of  one  to  the  other  is  undoubtedly  responsible  for 
the  similarity  of  names. 

About  two  o'clock  we  rounded  the  Cape  and 
began  to  look  eagerly  for  Little  Cape  Jones  River, 
where  it  was  expected  another  Eskimo  camp  would 
be  found.  Shortly  after,  our  attention  was  at- 
tracted by  the  sound  of  gunshots,  and  looking  off 
in  the  direction  from  which  the  sound  had  come, 
several  Eskimos  in  their  kyaks  were  seen  coming 
towards  us.  As  they  drew  up  alongside  of  the 
boat  we  were  quite  surprised  to  hear  one  of  them 
address  us  in  very  good  English,  and  a  few  minutes 
later,  to  find  that  it  was  Husky  Bill,  who  had  been 
Mr.  Strong's  guide  from  Fort  George. 

While  the  first  salute  was  unexpected,  the 
information  which  followed  came  as  a  pleasant 
surprise.  Husky  Bill  had  left  the  York  boat 
party  but  a  day  or  two  previous  at  Great  Whale 
River,  and  it  was  quite  certain  that  all  were  well 
and  that  the  parties  at  the  most  were  only  a 
few  days  apart.  Naturally  the  presence  of  the 
Bishop  with  us  caused  considerable  excitement 
in  the  little  camp  when  we  entered  on  the  invita- 
tion of  Husky  Bill. 

While  the  luncheon  was  being  prepared,  the 
Bishop  and  Joseph  were  surrounded  by  the  people 


148  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

of  the  camp.  The  former  gave  them  a  short  talk, 
which  was  interpreted  by  Husky  Bill.  While 
this  was  going  on,  the  mosquitoes  made  a  general 
onslaught  on  the  party.  This  was  what  we  con- 
sidered to  be  our  introduction  to  real  Ungava  mos- 
quitoes. The  air  was  fairly  thick  with  them,  and 
one  of  the  party,  who  was  of  a  mathematical 
turn  of  mind,  made  the  more  or  less  approximate 
estimate  that  there  were  fifteen  millions  of  them 
per  cubic  yard  of  free  air.  This  condition  of 
things  necessitated  a  hasty  closing  of  the  meeting 
and  the  bolting  of  a  half  prepared  meal.  In  fact, 
the  pancakes  which  were  mixed  up  and  fried 
at  this  place  might  more  accurately  have  been 
called  mosquito  fritters. 

As  we  were  preparing  to  return  to  the  boat  and 
proceed  on  the  journey,  the  Eskimos  brought  the 
Bishop  presents,  consisting  of  two  large  salted 
geese  and  some  fine  salmon  trout. 

After  a  general  handshaking  we  embarked, 
heartily  thankful  to  escape  from  our  tormentors, 
the  mosquitoes,  although  many  followed  the  boat 
for  some  time.  The  ice  field  was  as  closely  packed 
as  ever,  but  although  progress  was  necessarily 
slow,  a  passage  was  effected  through  it.  It  was 
tiresome  work  at  the  wheel,  but  throughout  the 
day  each  took  his  turn,  and  thus  materially 
relieved  the  strain  on  the  individual. 

About  five  o'clock  we  arrived  off  the  harbour 
at  Sucker  Creek.  As  this  was  the  last  one  that 


,  ;.j 


Drifting  Ice  in  Long  Island  Sound 


Kyaks  at  Little  Cape  Jones 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  149 

could  be  reached  before  dark  we  decided  to  enter 
it  and  camp.  The  shores  in  this  vicinity  are 
much  lower  than  those  between  the  two  capes 
and,  from  a  distance,  resemble  beautiful  green 
pasture  land.  They  are  covered  with  a  growth 
of  coarse  grass  and  are  entirely  devoid  of  trees  or 
shrubs. 

The  harbour  at  Sucker  Creek  is  formed  by  a 
tongue  of  land  extending  out  from  the  mainland. 
It  offers  good  shelter  and  fresh  water  from  the 
creek,  but  wood  is  scarce.  Good  or  bad  as  the 
harbour  might  be,  it  cannot  be  said  that  its  in- 
habitants were  of  the  most  genial  nature,  for 
once  inside  of  it,  we  were  visited  by  an  advance 
guard  of  mosquitoes  and  informed,  through  the 
medium  of  many  savage  bites,  that  it  was  dan- 
gerous to  enter  their  sacred  precincts.  By  the 
time  we  were  anchored,  they  were  about  us  in 
incredible  quantities. 

We  have  seen  mosquitoes  in  many  places  and 
in  great  numbers  but  never  have  we  encountered 
such  as  these.  They  fairly  swarmed  about  our 
heads  and  hands,  eager  to  reach  the  places  where 
the  skin  was  unprotected.  Our  clothes,  also, 
were  covered  with  them,  so  that  the  rubbing  of  a 
hand  across  the  back  of  our  sweaters  would  leave 
a  streak  of  mashed  remains  thereon. 

We  threw  our  equipment  into  the  canoe  as 
quickly  as  possible  and  made  for  the  shore.  The 
constant  filling  of  our  nostrils,  eyes,  ears,  and 


150  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

mouths,  if  we  were  so  foolish  as  to  open  the  latter, 
soon  had  us  all  in  a  fever  of  excitement. 

We  rushed  up  the  bank  with  the  tents  and 
dunnage,  stumbling  blindly  over  the  boulder- 
covered  beach.  Throwing  our  arms  about  us  like 
crazy  men,  we  endeavoured  to  drive  the  fiendish 
pests  away  while  setting  up  the  tents.  As  each 
was  erected,  its  owner  would  disappear,  to  lie 
under  the  protection  of  his  canopy  and  nurse  his 
swollen  face  and  hands. 

The  strain  of  the  combat,  combined  with  the 
intense  heat  of  the  evening,  soon  caused  a  general 
thirst,  and  one  volunteered  to  go  with  Joseph  in 
search  of  fresh  water.  The  party  returned  shortly 
with  the  water,  but  had  been  so  harassed  by  the 
mosquitoes  that  they  had  not  even  stopped  to 
take  a  drink. 

No  vote  was  taken  as  to  whether  or  not  we 
should  prepare  supper,  but  as  well  as  we  can  now 
recall  it,  no  one  seemed  to  recollect  that  they  were 
in  the  habit  of  taking  food  in  the  evening,  and 
supper  was  not  even  referred  to  that  night. 

To  make  matters  worse,  two  of  the  party  found 
that  a  bottle  of  a  greasy,  medicinal  fluid,  which 
they  had  been  carrying  with  their  bedding  in  a 
dunnage  bag,  had  been  broken,  evidently  in  the 
wild  scramble  on  the  shore,  and  the  liquid  had 
thoroughly  saturated  the  blankets  and  canopy. 
An  almost  fruitless  attempt  to  wash  it  out  with 
cold  salt  water  followed,  but  the  unfortunates 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIYER  151 

finally  gave  it  up,  and  retired  to  rest,  using  the 
blankets  as  they  were,  and  thankful  for  a  protected 
spot  in  which  to  lie  down,  even  though  it  were  in 
wet  blankets. 

If  ever  mortals  appreciated  a  cheesecloth  can- 
opy, we  did  that  night,  for,  although  the  constant 
striking  of  the  tent  by  the  millions  of  mosqui- 
toes inside  of  it  made  a  sound  like  the  patter  of 
gentle  rain,  they  were  unable  to  get  through  to 
the  weary  occupants.  Thus  fortified,  we  lay 
musing  on  the  incidents  of  the  day,  which  had 
truly  been  an  eventful  one,  and  it  was  only  then 
that  we  recollected  that  the  usual  evening  devo- 
tions by  the  Bishop  had  been  quite  overlooked. 
It  was  very  evident  that  the  mosquitoes  had 
caused  neglect  of  the  spiritual  as  well  as  the 
physical  needs  of  the  party. 

The  next  morning,  Friday,  August  the  ninth, 
was  a  beautiful  one,  and  the  party  was  up  at 
four  o'clock,  being  anxious  to  reach  Great  Whale 
River  Post  as  speedily  as  possible.  The  Bishop 
had  planned  to  return  from  Great  Whale  River  on 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  boat,  the  Inenew, 
and  he  began  to  fear  it  might  have  passed  on  the 
outside  of  Long  Island  while  we  were  being  held 
at  Cape  Jones,  and  having  made  its  trip  north 
might  be  waiting  for  him,  or  possibly  have  returned 
to  Charlton  without  him. 

Breakfast  was  hastily  prepared  and  an  attempt 
made  to  eat  it  amid  the  clouds  of  mosquitoes 


152  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

that  were  still  enforcing  their  presence,  halo  like, 
around  each  person.  Finally,  the  attempt  was 
given  up  in  disgust  and  we  were  compelled  to 
break  camp  and  get  everything  into  the  boat  as 
speedily  as  possible.  The  enemy  was  not  to  be 
baffled  for  while  we  were  loading  the  boat  from 
the  canoe,  the  sails  and  boat  covers  changed  from 
white  to  black,  and  when  we  pulled  out  of  the 
harbour,  it  was  with  our  greatest  number  of  pas- 
sengers. We  supposed  that  our  pursuers  would 
soon  be  left  behind,  but  for  fully  two  hours  our 
lives  were  made  miserable  by  them. 

Considerable  ice  was  encountered  until  within 
about  fifteen  miles  of  Great  Whale  River  where 
the  sea  gradually  became  freer  of  it.  About  ten 
miles  from  the  river,  two  black  spots  were  seen 
on  a  large  cake  of  moving  ice.  At  first  they 
appeared  to  be  either  bears  or  seals,  but  when 
nearer,  proved  to  be  two  Eskimos.  Joseph  was 
anxious  to  enquire  about  the  Inenew  and  to  inform 
the  Huskies  that  the  Bishop  was  with  us  on  his 
way  to  the  Post,  but  as  this  would  have  entailed 
a  considerable  loss  of  time,  we  did  not  go  out  of 
our  course  to  hold  an  interview  with  them. 

Before  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  river,  another 
party  of  Eskimos  in  kyaks  was  met.  Since  no 
information  had  been  obtained  from  the  previous 
group,  a  stop  was  made  to  speak  with  these. 
From  them  it  was  learned  that  the  Inenew  had 
not  yet  reached  the  Great  Whale  River  Post. 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  153 

The  Bishop  then  began  to  fear  that  her  trip  had 
been  entirely  abandoned  owing  to  the  presence 
of  so  much  ice.  About  this  he  was  not  to  be  long 
in  doubt,  for  a  couple  of  hours  later,  when  we 
were  leaving  Great  Whale  River,  the  Inenew  was 
already  in  sight  of  the  Post,  although  we  did  not 
see  it. 

The  shores,  which  had  lowered  after  Little  Cape 
Jones  was  passed,  gradually  rose  again  north  of 
Sucker  Creek,  and  as  Great  Whale  River  was 
approached  the  hills  assumed  mountainous  pro- 
portions. 

About  one  o'clock  we  came  actually  into  the 
waters  of  the  Great  Whale  River.  The  tide  was 
going  out  and  the  wind  was  against  us,  so  that 
our  progress  was  somewhat  slow.  The  scenery 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river  is  of  such  a  character 
that  one  could  well  afford  to  delay.  The  blue 
hills  inland,  towering  several  hundred  feet  high, 
and  the  high  ridges  running  parallel  to  the  sea, 
with  the  Post  houses  nestled  far  up  at  the  top  of 
a  high  bank,  to  the  left,  made  a  most  beautiful 
and  interesting  picture. 

We  were  in  high  spirits  at  having  accomplished 
this  part  of  the  journey,  from  Cape  Jones  to  Great 
Whale  River,  the  harbours  being  few  and  far 
between,  with,  the  consequent  danger  for  small 
craft  in  the  event  of  a  storm.  If  the  weather 
conditions  were  favourable  for  three  days  more, 
we  would  be  practically  at  our  destination,  and  in 


154  W  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

the  meantime  were  likely  to  overtake  the  York 
boat. 

As  we  approached  the  Post,  the  noise  of  the 
motor  boat  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Indians 
and  Eskimos,  who  were  there  in  full  force,  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  the  Inenew  with  supplies,  and  they 
began  to  gather  on  the  river  bank. 

Drawing  near,  we  could  not  help  admiring  the 
neat  appearance  of  the  buildings  in  their  coats  of 
red  and  white  paint,  against  the  background  of 
the  hillside,  with  its  growth  of  long  luxuriant  grass. 
Nowhere  had  we  seen  the  equal  of  this  grass. 

When  about  two  hundred  feet  from  the  shore, 
the  boat  was  anchored  and  Joseph,  jumping 
up  on  one  of  the  seats,  proclaimed  in  loud,  sten- 
torian tones,  the  arrival  of  the  Bishop,  first  in 
Cree  and  then  in  Eskimo.  By  this  time  the  crowd 
had  increased  to  one  of  several  hundred  who  were 
eagerly  awaiting  our  landing. 

The  Bishop  and  Joseph  were  hastily  taken  ashore 
and  with  ourselves  were  met  at  the  landing  by 
Harold  Undgarten,  the  Factor's  assistant.  The 
Factor,  Mr.  Mavor,  was  away  on  a  porpoise  hunt. 
Much  to  our  surprise  Harold  recognized  us,  al- 
though it  had  been  five  years  since  our  previous 
visit.  On  our  landing  a  general  handshaking  en- 
sued. Every  man,  woman,  boy,  and  girl  in  the 
place  was  apparently  determined  to  welcome  the 
Bishop,  and  we  came  in  for  the  same  treatment. 

We  found  everybody  bright  and  happy,  despite 


Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Post,  Great  Whale  River 


Eskimo  Women,  Great  Whale  River 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  GREAT  WHALE  RI^ER  155 

the  fact  that  there  was  little  or  no  food  in  the 
place,  owing  to  the  non-appearance  of  the  Inenew 
with  the  spring  supplies.  We  had  been  expecting 
to  purchase  some  provisions  there  ourselves,  but 
found  we  would  have  to  depend  entirely  on  our 
own  supplies,  which  were  in  the  York  boat,  pre- 
ceding us.  In  fact,  we  were  so  nearly  out  of  food 
that  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  leave  any  for  the 
Bishop  and  Joseph,  which  we  otherwise  would 
have  done,  knowing  that  food  was  so  scarce  at 
the  Post. 

We  felt  certain  that  as  long  as  there  was  any 
food  at  the  place,  the  Bishop  and  Joseph  would 
get  their  share.  Their  reception  was  significant 
of  the  esteem  in  which  they  were  held.  Poor 
Joseph  was  nearly  mobbed  by  the  crowd,  who 
eagerly  pressed  forward  to  greet  him,  an  embrace 
and  a  kiss  on  each  cheek  being  received  from  both 
men  and  women  alike. 

During  the  brief  stay  of  an  hour,  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  an  Eskimo,  who  had  arrived  that  day 
from  the  North,  brought  the  news  that  he  had 
passed  the  York  boat  about  twenty  miles  distant 
from  Great  Whale  River. 


CHAPTER  XII 

Great  Whale  River  to  Little  Whale 
River 

LYING  farewell  to  the  Bishop  and 
Joseph  and  returning  to  the  boat, 
we  ate  a  cold  lunch  in  haste,  hop- 
ing to  overtake  the  York  boat 
before  camping  time.  Although 
Mac  had  plenty  of  time  while  the  others  were 
ashore  to  replenish  the  gasoline  tank,  which  he 
might  have  suspected  would  be  empty  after  the 
long  run,  he  failed  to  take  advantage  of  the 
opportunity. 

When  but  a  few  hundred  feet  down  the  river 
the  engine  stopped  short.  Investigation  showed 
the  fuel  tank  to  be  entirely  empty,  and  the  nearest 
available  supply  was  in  a  case  on  the  bottom  of 
the  boat  under  a  stack  of  dunnage.  To  fill  the 
tank  required  about  thirty  minutes,  which  to  us, 
in  our  haste  to  overtake  the  other  party,  seemed 
fully  an  hour. 

We  were  again  without  a  guide,  although,  to 
tell  the  truth,  we  did  not  feel  the  loss  of  him  se- 
verely. For  two  days  before  our  arrival  at  Great 
Whale  River,  Joseph  had  been  somewhat  neglect- 

156 


GREAT  TO  LITTLE  WHALE  RWER    157 

ful  of  his  duties  at  the  wheel,  and  while  we  took 
turns  at  the  steering  he  enjoyed  many  long  naps. 
We  took  it  for  granted  at  the  time  that  he  con- 
sidered us  good  assistants,  and  he  evidently 
feared  little  for  the  safety  of  the  craft  while  in 
our  hands. 

It  was  somewhat  difficult  to  find  the  channel 
when  leaving  the  mouth  of  the  river,  but  the 
big  sandbar  was  rounded  and  the  entrance  to 
Manitounuk  Sound  reached  without  mishap. 
Coasting  along  the  mainland  of  the  sound,  some 
shoals  among  the  small  islands  near  the  entrance 
were  encountered,  so  a  course  was  taken  well  out 
toward  the  middle  to  avoid  them. 

Had  it  been  earlier  in  the  day,  we  would  have 
immediately  crossed  to  the  island  side  of  the  sound, 
but  there  were  two  or  three  good  harbours  on  the 
mainland  side,  and  as  the  day  was  rapidly  advanc- 
ing, it  was  useless  to  attempt  overtaking  the  other 
party,  so  that  a  harbour  with  a  camping  place 
would  soon  be  necessary.  Hence  we  stayed  on 
the  mainland  side. 

As  camping  time  approached,  we  very  naturally 
began  to  turn  our  thoughts  to  the  experiences  of 
the  night  before  and  wonder  if  they  were  to  be 
duplicated  that  night. 

A  long  bay  with  a  fine  sandy  beach  came  in 
sight  and  here  it  was  decided  to  anchor.  A  more 
ideal  place  for  camping  could  not  be  conceived  of 
than  that  was,  had  it  not  been  for  the  mosquitoes. 


158  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

On  landing  we  set  up  the  tents  and  suspended 
the  canopies  in  the  usual  manner.  Mac  said 
"good-night"  and  vanished  into  his  tent,  not  to 
be  seen  again  until  morning.  Up  to  this  time, 
we  had  eaten  practically  nothing  that  day  with 
the  exception  of  a  very  scanty  lunch  on  the  boat 
at  Great  Whale  River.  Our  appetites  prompted 
us,  in  spite  of  the  conflicting  circumstances,  to 
make  a  fire  and  attempt  the  cooking  of  some  kind 
of  food.  The  supplies  being  low,  and  ordinary 
cooking  out  of  the  question,  we  decided  to  make 
a  kettle  of  boiled  flour.  We  partook  of  this  deli- 
cacy, with  sugar  and  milk  added,  under  the  safe 
seclusion  of  the  canopy. 

The  next  morning,  Saturday,  August  the  tenth, 
was  cloudless  and  without  a  breeze.  We  were 
up  shortly  after  sunrise,  while  it  was  still  a  little 
cool  and  the  mosquitoes  somewhat  dopish,  so 
were  able  to  get  a  comfortable  breakfast. 

Across  from  the  camping  place  was  a  picturesque 
island,  known  as  the  Bill  of  Portland.  The  vari- 
coloured strata  of  this  island,  in  the  bright,  morn- 
ing sunlight,  made  a  most  beautiful  picture.  We 
photographed  it,  but  owing  to  the  distance,  the 
camera  did  not  do  it  justice. 

In  all  our  travelling  on  the  Bay,  this  half  day 
spent  in  the  Manitounuk  Sound  was  the  most 
pleasant  and  enjoyable.  The  high  hills  of  the 
mainland  rise  in  a  gentle  slope  from  the  water's 
edge,  reaching  their  maximum  elevation  at  a 


J21 


GREAT  TO  LITTLE  WHALE  RIVER.    159 

distance  of  two  or  three  miles  back  from  the 
sound.  On  the  other  side  of  the  sound,  a  couple 
of  miles  distant,  the  almost  continuous  chain  of 
islands  stretches  northward  for  twenty-five  miles, 
presenting  bold  and  rugged  cliffs,  towering  hun- 
dreds of  feet  above  us  as  we  passed  along  almost 
at  their  base.  The  whole  formed  a  sight  inde- 
scribably grand  and  beautiful. 

By  twelve  o'clock,  we  had  reached  Schooner 
Opening.  This  is  situated  between  two  of  the 
largest  islands  and  is  sufficiently  deep  and  wide 
to  allow  a  schooner  to  pass  out  to  sea. 

Two  hours  later  Boat  Opening  was  reached  near 
the  northern  end  of  the  sound.  In  fact,  there  are 
two  openings  at  this  place,  separated  by  a  small 
but  high  island.  We  chose  the  first,  thinking  it 
the  proper  one,  and  ,got  through  safely,  but  the 
transparent  water  showed  the  rocks  to  be  very 
close  to  the  surface  and  that  a  passage  at  any 
other  stage  than  high  tide  would  be  impossible. 

These  openings  are  very  dangerous  to  navigate 
when  the  full  rush  of  the  tide,  incoming  or  out- 
going, is  in  progress.  They  are  so  narrow  that, 
at  such  times,  the  water  rushes  through  with 
great  violence,  so  that  it  is  practically  impossible 
to  propel  a  boat  against  it,  and  if  going  with  the 
current,  the  countless  eddies  and  cross  currents 
make  steering  a  rather  hazardous  undertaking. 

We  had  enjoyed  the  sail  so  much  throughout 
the  morning  in  the  perfect  protection  of  the  sound, 


160  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

that  we  were  loath  to  meet  the  dangers  of  the 
Opening  and  the  open  sea  beyond.  It  was  with 
a  feeling  of  thankfulness  that  we  found  our- 
selves safely  through  and  in  smooth  water  on  the 
outside. 

From  this  point  to  the  Little  Whale  River, 
there  are  but  few  islands,  and  protection  when 
required  must  be  sought  in  the  mouths  of  several 
small  rivers  which  enter  the  Bay.  The  most  pro- 
minent island  between  the  Manitounuk  Sound 
and  the  Nastapoka  Sound  is  called  Duck  Island. 
It  is  a  long,  low  island  of  drift,  and  lies  about  six 
miles  offshore  to  the  north-west  of  Boat  Opening. 

To  avoid  passing  the  camp  unobserved,  we 
kept  close  to  the  shore  and  finally  sighted  tents 
at  the  mouth  of  Second  River.  When  opposite 
these  and  still  a  mile  out,  we  saw  several  men 
on  the  shore  watching  us  and  signalled  them. 
Receiving  no  reply,  we  decided  they  must  be 
Eskimos  and  proceeded  on  our  course.  Another 
look  through  the  glass  convinced  us  that  the 
tents  were  ours,  despite  the  fact  that  we  did  not 
recognize  the  men.  Turning  our  boat  towards  the 
camp,  the  York  boat  anchored  in  the  mouth  of 
the  river  soon  came  in  sight  and  established  the 
identity  of  the  party  beyond  doubt.  In  a  few 
minutes,  we  entered  the  little  harbour,  well  within 
the  protection  of  the  surrounding  hills,  and  an- 
chored there. 

The   Eskimo   guide,    who   with   his   wife   was 


GREAT  TO  LITTLE  WHALE  RIVER    161 

accompanying  the  York  boat,  appeared  at  the 
top  of  the  cliff,  and  with  excited  shouts  and  ges- 
ticulations tried  to  direct  us  to  the  proper  channel. 
These  we  later  found  to  be  natives  who  were 
camped  at  the  Nastapoka  River  during  our  visit 
to  that  place  in  1907,  the  photograph  of  the  man 
being  used  to  illustrate  the  cover  of  the  book  which 
described  that  trip. 

We  immediately  went  ashore  and  visited  Mr. 
Strong  at  his  camp,  where  the  experiences  of  both 
parties  were  related  and  a  council  held  to  decide 
on  the  further  procedure. 

It  was  expected  that  the  York  boat  party  would 
reach  Clark  Island  by  the  middle  of  July,  but  the 
season  had  been  so  unfavourable,  with  storms, 
ice,  and  almost  continuous  head  winds,  that  now, 
nearly  a  month  later,  the  party  was  still  sixty-five 
miles  from  its  northern  destination. 

It  was  finally  arranged  to  take  Mr.  Strong  and 
his  assistant,  Bennet,  with  us  and  proceed  at  once 
to  Clark  Island.  It  had  been  originally  intended 
to  break  up  the  York  boat  party,  leaving  four  of 
them  at  one  of  the  rivers,  and  taking  the  rest  to 
the  island.  It  was  then  decided  that  the  full 
force  should  go  to  Clark  Island  as  soon  as  fair 
weather  would  permit. 

After  having  supper  with  Mr.  Strong,  we  re- 
turned to  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  pitched  our 
tent  on  the  sandy  beach.  To  our  delight,  the 
mosquitoes  were  held  in  check  by  a  fairly  stiff 

XX 


1 62  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

breeze  blowing  from  the  sea,  and  the  camp  was 
set  up  without  much  inconvenience. 

It  was  on  this  evening  that  one  of  the  most 
annoying  incidents,  now  considered  a  laughable 
one,  took  place.  We  had  indulged  freely  in  pork 
and  beans  for  our  supper,  and  as  they  were  quite 
salty,  soon  became  very  thirsty.  With  probably 
an  hour's  hard  work  setting  up  the  tent  and  getting 
our  bedding  and  other  paraphernalia  ashore,  on 
that  very  hot  evening,  our  thirst  was  considerably 
intensified,  so  that  by  the  time  all  was  completed, 
we  were  quite  ready  to  undertake  a  search  for 
fresh  water. 

The  water  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  camp,  was  salt.  The  hunt  was  all 
in  vain  for  nowhere  was  there  a  pool  or  spring  of 
fresh  water  to  be  found  on  our  side  of  the  river. 

We  were  too  thirsty  to  think  of  going  to  bed 
without  quenching  our  thirst,  and  so  decided  to 
take  the  canoe  and  visit  the  other  camp,  hoping 
that  they  would  have  a  supply  of  fresh  water, 
or  that  they  could,  at  least,  tell  us  where  to  get 
some. 

Arriving  there  and  finding  everybody  in  bed 
and  not  a  sound  to  be  heard,  we  had  to  examine 
the  kettles  and  buckets  around  the  camp  where 
the  fresh  water  supply  would  likely  be  kept. 

On  the  stove  was  a  large  covered  bucket,  almost 
full  of  water.  From  this  we  filled  our  tea  kettle 
and  made  a  quick,  but  quiet,  retreat  to  the  canoe. 


GREAT  TO  LITTLE  WHALE  RIVER    163 

Returning  to  the  camp  and  drawing  the  canoe  up 
the  long,  low  beach  and  securing  it  there,  we  car- 
ried our  much-prized  kettle  of  water  to  the  tent. 
Closing  the  flap  and  arranging  the  canopy,  that 
our  work  might  be  completed  before  taking  the 
much-needed  drink,  we  grabbed  cups,  filled,  raised 
them,  and  drank,  but  only  one  mouthful — it  was 
sea  water. 

Had  we  been  children,  no  doubt  we  would  have 
cried,  the  disappointment  was  so  great.  We 
were  almost  worn  out,  cheated  out  of  our  regular 
meals  by  the  mosquitoes  for  several  days,  sleeping 
little  at  night  (rising  shortly  after  daylight  on 
those  long  summer  days  and  travelling  until  late) , 
and  now  our  thirst  was  so  intense  that  to  retire 
was  impossible  until  a  good  long  cold  drink  was 
obtained,  no  matter  where  the  water  was  to  be 
found. 

All  that  could  be  done  was  to  take  our  canoe 
back  down  to  the  river  and  make  a  second  trip 
to  the  other  camp.  This  was  done  in  total  dark- 
ness. Arriving  there,  we  searched  in  the  dark  for 
a  vessel  of  fresh  water,  feeling  certain  that  there 
must  be  one  in  the  camp.  We  eventually  got  our 
hands  on  a  pail  of  water,  and  after  making  sure 
this  time  that  it  was  fresh,  again  filled  our  kettle 
and  made  our  way  back  to  the  canoe.  Soon  the 
camp  was  reached  with  the  booty,  which  meant 
more  to  us  than  if  it  had  been  a  pot  of  gold. 

Next  morning,  the  extra  passengers  were  taken 


164  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

aboard  with  their  dunnage,  increasing  the  load 
considerably.  By  eight  o'clock  a  start  was  made 
facing  a  good  stiff  wind.  The  morning  was  bright, 
but  seaward  the  sky  was  foggy,  and  we  were  in 
constant  dread  of  it  settling  down  around  us,  as 
there  were  but  a  couple  of  harbours  between 
Second  River  and  Little  Whale  River,  and  we 
would  not  have  risked  travelling  along  the  coast 
in  a  fog. 

As  Little  Whale  River  was  approached  the 
long  sloping  hills,  that  extend  several  miles  back 
from  the  sea,  came  in  sight.  Over  some  of  these 
hills,  on  our  former  visit,  we  had  one  of  the  most 
tiresome  walking  experiences  of  our  lives.  On 
that  occasion,  leaving  the  camp  at  the  foot  of  the 
big  hill  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  in  the  early 
morning,  we  scaled  the  cliffs  of  two  of  the  adjoin- 
ing hills  to  the  south,  and  tramped  through  the 
intervening  valleys,  reaching  our  destination, 
the  vertical  cliff  at  the  east  side  of  the  third  hill, 
about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  two  hours 
later  than  was  expected. 

Not  daring  to  prolong  our  stay  beyond  half  an 
hour,  we  began  the  return  journey  by  way  of  the 
Little  Whale  River  valley,  hoping  to  find  easier 
travelling  than  over  the  rugged  hills.  The  valley 
proved  rough,  full  of  gulches,  and  overgrown  with 
underbrush.  The  experience  was  a  most  trying 
one,  growing  worse  as  the  darkness  overtook  us. 
The  dread  of  spending  the  night  on  the  trail  in 


GREAT  TO  LITTLE  WHALE  RIYER    165 

such  a  dreary  country,  without  food  or  bed, 
spurred  us  on  and  helped  to  keep  up  our  courage. 
At  last  we  saw  a  light  approaching  us.  It  proved 
to  be  that  of  a  lantern  carried  by  a  search  party 
who  met  us  while  still  about  half  a  mile  out.  We 
eventually  reached  camp  in  an  almost  exhausted 
condition. 

The  hills  over  which  that  memorable  tramp 
was  made  begin  with  a  gentle  slope  at  the  sea, 
and  run  back  to  a  height  of  a  thousand  feet,  ending 
in  an  almost  perpendicular  cliff,  facing  inland. 

By  eleven  o'clock,  we  had  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  Little  Whale  River,  and  the  fog  seemed  to 
be  settling  down  a  short  distance  ahead  of  us. 
As  we  wished  to  cross  to  the  island  side  of  the 
sound,  which  begins  but  a  few  miles  north  of  this 
river,  it  was  decided  to  enter  the  river  and  await  the 
passing  of  the  fog.  The  Bay  for  a  wide  area  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  river  mouth  is  very  shallow,  so 
that  navigation  in  a  fog  would  be  a  rather  serious 
undertaking. 

Owing  to  the  breeze  from  the  west  opposing  the 
combined  river  current  and  tide,  there  was  a  rough 
sea  over  the  bar.  However,  we  got  safely  across 
it  and  anchored  opposite  the  site  of  the  now  de- 
serted Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Post. 

After  dinner,  the  fog  still  continued,  and  in 
consequence  it  was  decided  to  wait  over  until  the 
next  day.  A  little  later  in  the  afternoon,  the  sun 
came  out,  so  we  crossed  the  river  and  scaled  the 


1 66  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

cliffs  on  the  north  side.  When  the  top  of  the 
first  cliff  was  reached  the  sky  had  cleared,  and 
the  sea  was  sparkling  in  the  warm  sunlight,  far 
out  to  where  the  fast  retreating  bank  of  fog 
obscured  the  horizon. 

We  were  then  at  the  top  of  the  cliff  bordering 
the  river  opposite  the  camp.  To  the  north,  was 
an  unobstructed  view  of  the  Nastapoka  Islands 
and  sound,  and  the  high,  rugged  hills  of  Rich- 
mond Gulf.  To  the  east,  and  towering  several 
hundred  feet  above  us,  were  the  peaks  of  the  hills 
we  were  then  ascending  and  which  present  a  per- 
pendicular cliff  eastward  from  the  highest  point 
to  the  river  below. 

These  hills  are  formed  by  a  giant  tilting  of  the 
strata,  the  cliff  face  being  a  line  of  faulting.  The 
lower  strata,  once  horizontal,  now  tilted  at  an 
acute  angle,  dipping  toward  the  sea,  are  of  a  light 
limestone,  while  the  upper  one  is  a  flow  of  dark 
green  columnal  trap  many  feet  in  thickness. 

Pursuing  our  course  upward,  after  making  many 
detours,  the  highest  point  of  the  eastward  cliff 
was  eventually  reached  and  before  us  lay  the 
greatest  panorama  we  had  ever  beheld.  The 
scene  was  majestic.  At  our  feet  lay  a  plain, 
stretching  for  miles  in  all  directions,  surrounded 
by  huge  cliffs  to  the  north,  south,  and  west,  and 
to  the  east  by  the  great  rounded  granite  hills  of 
the  Laurentian  protaxis,  worn  smooth  by  the 
erosion  of  centuries,  forming  a  great  natural  arena, 


GREAT  TO  LITTLE  WHALE  RlfER    167 

whose  grandeur  was  well  calculated  to  excite  the 
awe  and  admiration  of  those  who  were  so  fortunate 
as  to  gaze  upon  it. 

From  this  point,  to  the  right,  our  little  craft 
could  be  seen,  like  a  dot  on  the  river  below,  the 
mast  hardly  discernible,  the  river  flowing  west- 
ward and  winding  like  a  silver  thread  amongst  the 
evergreens  of  the  plain.  Here  and  there  short 
stretches  of  rapids  could  be  seen,  while  the  descent 
of  the  river  from  the  inland  hills  to  the  plain  was 
marked  by  two  falls,  over  which  rose  clouds  of 
spray  that  vanished  phantom  like  in  the  sunlight. 

Much  as  we  had  admired  the  view  of  the  sound 
from  the  lower  level,  it  seemed  insignificant  as  we 
gazed  on  it  from  this  higher  elevation.  We  lin- 
gered long  on  this  spot,  from  which,  no  matter  in 
what  direction  one  chose  to  turn,  he  could  feast 
his  eyes  on  scenes  perhaps  unsurpassed  anywhere 
in  Canada,  outside  of  the  Rockies. 

When  privileged  to  view  such  scenery  as  that, 
no  traveller  can  but  feel  amply  repaid  for  any 
hardships  he  may  have  suffered  in  attaining  that 
end. 

The  entire  afternoon  was  spent  in  going  from 
peak  to  peak  on  the  eastern  end  of  these  cliffs. 
As  the  sun  was  nearing  the  horizon,  we  returned 
to  the  cliff  on  the  riverside  opposite  the  camp,  and 
began  to  make  the  last  descent,  when  on  the  top 
of  the  hill,  between  us  and  the  sea,  a  small  party 
of  Eskimos  was  seen,  grouped  together,  looking 


1 68  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

down  on  us  without  any  signs  whatever  of  saluta- 
tion. Their  unusual  behaviour  excited  our  sus- 
picion, the  more  so  because  we  had  been  warned 
by  one  of  the  Factors,  on  our  previous  trip,  to 
beware  of  unfriendly  Eskimos  in  this  vicinity. 
Some  of  these  who  were  at  that  time  camping  by 
the  Little  Whale  River  had  a  reputation,  it  was 
said,  that  would  have  put  them  beyond  the  pale 
of  the  law  had  they  been  living  in  civilized  parts. 

As  these  people  made  no  advances  such  as  are 
common  to  the  Eskimos,  we  made  no  attempt  to 
converse  with  them,  and  proceeded  down  to  the 
riverside  and  our  canoe,  all  the  while  keeping  our 
eyes  on  the  group  above.  When  camp  was 
reached,  the  Huskies  were  still  gazing  on  us,  and 
to  show  them  we  could  defend  ourselves,  if  it  were 
necessary,  some  of  the  firearms  were  discharged. 
That  night  we  slept  with  our  guns  close  beside  us. 

As  soon  as  supper  was  over  it  was  decided  to 
shift  our  quarters  and  to  do  so  we  had  to  carry 
the  outfit  through  a  long  stretch  of  scrub  willow. 
The  task  was  an  arduous  one,  and  as  the  wind 
and  sun  had  gone  down,  the  mosquitoes  again  be- 
came active. 

All  hands  turned  in  to  help.  Bennet  volun- 
teered to  take  part  of  the  stuff  in  the  canoe  in 
preference  to  carrying  it  through  the  willows. 
Among  other  articles,  he  undertook  to  move  the 
kitchen,  which,  by  the  way,  had  been  thoroughly 
cleaned  out  and  everything  put  back  in  apple-pie 


GREAT  TO  LITTLE  WHALE  RIYER    169 

order  that  day.  Knowing  that  there  were  articles 
of  food  which  would  come  to  grief  should  they 
be  upset,  the  young  man  was  cautioned  to  keep  the 
box  right  side  up  with  care.  That  he  did  .1  ~>t 
adhere  strictly  to  our  caution  was  abundantly 
proven  afterward  by  a  jumbled  mass  of  cutlery, 
food,  and  graniteware,  all  firmly  adhering  together 
through  the  agency  of  golden  syrup,  a  can  of  which 
had  been  completely  upturned. 

The  labour  of  restoring  order  in  the  kitchen  was 
discouraging  enough  in  itself,  but  when  it  was 
found  that  the  only  salt  in  the  camp  had  been 
thoroughly  saturated  with  the  sweet  liquid,  it  was 
with  difficulty  we  refrained  from  giving  the  lad 
a  ducking  in  the  river. 

On  the  same  spot  and  with  the  same  pegs  that 
were  used  five  years  before,  we  put  up  our  tent, 
the  rest  of  the  party  preferring  to  use  a  portion  of 
one  of  the  old  buildings,  rather  than  take  the 
trouble  of  putting  up  their  tent.  Before  they 
got  the  place  mosquito  proof,  it  had  cost  them 
a  great  deal  more  effort  than  it  would  have,  had 
they  set  up  camp  in  the  usual  manner. 

It  was  the  understanding  that  night  that  we 
would  rise  specially  early  the  next  morning.  Con- 
sequently, we  were  alert  at  an  early  hour,  but 
the  kitchen  had  to  be  cleaned  before  breakfast 
was  prepared,  and  this,  as  any  good  housewife 
would  know,  caused  quite  a  delay. 


CHAPTER  SHI 
ClarK  Island 

|HE  day  was  beautiful  and  bright, 
and  in  the  early  morning  there 
was  not  even  a  breeze  blowing. 
By  the  time  we  had  the  extra  work 
completed  and  everything  in  the 
boat,  it  was  nearly  eight  o'clock.  The  tide  had 
started  to  go  out,  so  we  had  the  full  force  of  the 
current  with  us.  As  we  approached  the  mouth 
of  the  river  and  could  get  a  good  view  of  the  sea, 
it  was  apparent  that  the  effect  of  the  wind  of  the 
day  before  was  still  in  evidence  by  enormous  swells 
which  were  outlined  against  the  sky  line. 

When  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  was 
reached  and  we  came  into  contact  with  the  swells, 
the  experience  almost  paralyzed  us,  for  it  seemed 
impossible  to  escape  being  completely  overwhelmed 
by  the  huge  rollers  that  constantly  beset  us.  We 
soon  found  that,  by  proper  quartering,  the  boat 
could  safely  ride  them,  and  gradually  began  to 
enjoy  the  sensation. 

Despite  the  troubled  condition  of  the  water, 
we  put  right  out  toward  Flint  Island,  the  first 
of  the  Nastapoka  group,  situated  about  five  or 

170 


CLARK  ISLAND  171 

six  miles  from  the  mainland.  When  about  half- 
way across,  the  condition  of  the  weather  being 
unchanged,  it  seemed  safe  to  direct  our  course 
from  Flint  to  Ross  Island,  the  second  of  the  group. 
By  the  time  the  opening  between  the  two  islands 
was  reached,  the  wind  had  risen  and  a  heavy  sea 
was  running.  It  was  not  long,  however,  until  we 
had  gotten  into  the  protection  of  the  high  cliffs 
of  Ross  Island,  and  as  the  sound  was  then  crossed 
and  the  rest  of  the  journey  would  lie  principally 
in  the  shelter  of  high  islands  with  good  harbours, 
there  was  little  or  nothing  to  fear. 

The  general  physical  characteristics  of  the 
islands  of  the  sound  are  of  the  same  nature  as 
those  of  the  Manitounuk  group.  They  present 
a  bold  face  to  the  sound  and  dip  gently  westward 
toward  the  sea,  while  the  mainland  presents  the 
same  appearance  as  that  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Little  Whale  River,  but  gradually  becomes  higher 
as  Richmond  Gulf  is  approached. 

Geologically,  the  islands  are  very  different  from 
those  of  Manitounuk  Sound,  the  strata  of  the 
former  consisting  of  silicious  iron  ore  and  jasper 
beds  instead  of  the  trap  flow  and  limestone  of  the 
latter. 

We  had  contemplated  calling  at  Flint  and 
Belanger  Islands  on  the  way  up,  but  the  travelling 
in  the  lee  of  the  islands  was  temptingly  fine  and 
the  experience  of  sailing  along  the  shores  of  these 
picturesque  islands  was  so  enticing,  that  we  en- 


172  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

tirely  ignored  our  former  plans  and  pushed 
ahead. 

Anderson  Island,  the  fourth  of  the  group  and 
probably  the  highest,  was  passed.  Next  came 
Luttit,  a  small,  low  island,  and  then,  after  an  open 
stretch  of  five  miles,  we  at  last  entered  the  protec- 
tion of  our  northern  objective,  Clark  Island. 

As  we  approached  the  northern  end  of  Clark 
Island,  the  old  camp  ground  back  of  Teresa 
Island  appeared,  and  swinging  around  its  northern 
end,  the  safe  little  harbour  came  into  view.  Pro- 
ceeding into  it,  we  came  up  alongside  the  great 
ledges  of  iron  ore  and  jasper,  stopped  the  engine, 
and  announced  to  our  passengers  that  this  was 
Clark  Island  and  that  they  were  at  the  end  of 
their  northward  journey. 

Mr.  Strong's  party  left  Rupert  House  on  the 
fifth  of  July,  and  on  this  day,  the  twelfth  of  August, 
but  two  of  them  had  arrived  at  Clark  Island. 
In  all,  he  had  spent  thirty-eight  days  on  the  jour- 
ney over  a  course  which,  in  the  weather  of  ordi- 
nary seasons,  would  have  required  only  from 
twelve  to  fourteen  days  with  a  similar  boat. 

All  hands  were  soon  busy  unloading  the  equip- 
ment into  the  canoe  and  preparing  to  land.  After 
several  trips  had  been  made  back  and  forth  to 
shore,  the  boat  was  taken  out  to  deep  water  and 
anchored. 

A  place  for  the  tents  was  selected  after  we  had 
prepared  our  midday  meal.  There  was  no  possi- 


CLARK  ISLAND  173 

bility  of  using  tent  pegs  here,  for  we  were  practi- 
cally on  the  bare  rock,  there  being  but  a  thin 
covering  of  white  Arctic  moss.  It  was  therefore 
necessary  to  use  the  largest  boulders  that  could 
be  rolled  over  to  the  tents,  around  which  to  tie  the 
guy  ropes.  In  addition  to  these,  other  boulders 
were  placed  inside  around  the  wall  of  the  tent, 
which  had  been  drawn  down  for  the  purpose. 
We  had  never  taken  as  much  trouble  to  put  the 
tents  up  securely  as  on  this  day,  for  in  its  unpro- 
tected position,  the  camp  would  be  exposed  to  the 
full  violence  of  the  wind  blowing  up  and  down  the 
sound,  the  best  place  in  which  to  be  in  mosquito 
weather,  but  very  precarious  in  time  of  storm. 

An  examination  of  the  south  end  of  the  island 
was  made  on  the  first  afternoon,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  the  remaining  portions  were  visited. 
As  on  the  other  islands,  the  strata  are  more  or 
less  silicious.  The  beds  are  nearly  parallel,  and 
dip  gently  toward  the  sea  on  the  west,  while  to 
the  east  and  south  they  present  bold  step-like 
cliffs.  Between  great  beds  of  jaspilyte  rich  in 
iron,  lie  the  hematite  beds,  which  contain  a  vast 
quantity  of  ore.  The  area  of  the  island  is  ap- 
proximately three  thousand  acres. 

We  were  destined  again  to  be  tormented  by  the 
mosquitoes.  On  our  previous  visit  they  were  a 
thing  practically  unknown  to  us,  and  it  did  not 
seem  possible  on  an  island  so  far  removed  from 
the  mainland,  and  on  which  there  was  practically 


174  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

no  vegetation,  to  find  such  vast  swarms  of  them. 
We  were  compelled  again  to  eat  under  the  canopy. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  the  sky 
became  overcast  and  the  wind  rose.  As  our  cooking 
was  still  done  over  an  open  fire,  supper  was  hastily 
prepared  so  that  an  early  retreat  might  be  made 
to  the  kindly  protection  of  the  canvas  domiciles 
in  case  the  storm  grew  violent. 

'By  midnight  the  storm  had  reached  large  pro- 
portions and  the  flapping  of  the  tent  in  the  wind 
as  well  as  the  booming  of  the  surf  against  the  foot 
of  the  cliffs  made  it  impossible  to  sleep.  We 
arose,  dressed  partially,  and  went  out  to  see  if  the 
boat  was  still  safe  at  her  moorings,  and  to  further 
secure  the  tent,  which  it  seemed  might  be  carried 
into  the  sea  at  any  moment.  The  boat  was  found 
to  be  riding  the  waves  buoyantly  and  the  anchor 
holding  staunchly.  We  again  retired  to  get 
such  sleep  as  might  be  possible  amid  the  noise 
of  the  storm. 

Shortly  after  our  return  to  bed,  the  dining  tent, 
which  was  well  stocked  with  food,  kettles,  and 
dishes,  was  carried  from  its  position  and  landed 
with  a  crash  against  the  end  of  our  tent,  one  of 
the  occupants  escaping  by  only  a  few  inches  from 
being  struck  by  the  falling  ridgepole.  This  was 
followed  by  a  general  distribution  of  the  cooking 
utensils,  plates,  cups,  and  cutlery  over  the  sur- 
rounding rocks,  down  the  cliff  nearby,  and  some 
of  them  into  the  sea. 


CLARK  ISLAND  175 

By  this  time  matters  began  to  look  somewhat 
serious.  A  fresh  supply  of  stones  was  laid  on  the 
sides  of  our  tent,  as  it  was  beginning  to  loosen, 
and  it  was  feared  that  it  also  might  soon  collapse. 
One  of  us  dressed  fully  and,  going  out,  made  a 
search  for  the  dishes  over  the  rocks.  It  was  rain- 
ing hard  and  the  first  traces  of  daylight  were 
noticeable.  All  that  could  be  found  of  the  scat- 
tered dishes  were  collected  and  placed  under  the 
fallen  tent  and  the  latter  weighted  down  with 
stones.  While  this  was  being  done,  the  other 
took  advantage  of  the  security  offered  by  the 
man  outside,  and  had  a  nap. 

Everything  again  put  in  order,  the  man  on  the 
outside  returned  to  the  tent,  and  unheeding  the 
advice  of  the  other  to  return  to  bed,  stretched 
himself  on  the  canvas  floor  cloth  without  un- 
dressing, hoping  to  get  a  nap  also.  As  will  be 
seen  by  what  followed,  he  had  no  cause  whatever 
to  regret  having  refused  his  friend's  advice. 

Suddenly,  without  even  a  moment's  notice, 
the  wind  with  pent-up  force  struck  the  tent. 
Snap  went  the  ropes  and  down  came  the  ridge- 
pole on  the  unhappy  occupant  of  the  bed.  The 
other  man  hastily  crawled  out,  raised  the  pole, 
and  held  the  tent  up  a  couple  of  feet  so  that 
the  latter  might  have  a  chance  to  get  into  his 
clothes. 

This  was  not  the  most  pleasant  experience  we 
ever  had.  It  was  pouring  down  rain  on  the  man 


1 76  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

outside,  and  the  other,  inside,  was  getting  the 
full  benefit  of  the  wet  canvas  tent,  as  he  strove  to 
get  from  his  night  into  his  day  clothes.  As  he 
remarked  at  the  time,  "things  are  never  so  bad 
but  they  might  be  worse,"  and  in  the  spirit  of 
this  adage  the  troubles  of  the  moment  were  for- 
gotten and,  spreading  the  fallen  tent  carefully 
over  our  belongings,  we  set  to  work  and  piled 
stones  around  the  edges  to  prevent  it  and  all 
that  was  underneath  from  being  carried  into  the 
sea. 

While  our  spirits  were  not  at  all  dampened, 
there  was  no  doubt  at  all  about  our  clothing,  and 
we  must  have  presented  a  sorry  picture  in  the 
dim  morning  light,  darker  by  reason  of  the  heavy, 
low,  storm  clouds,  as  we  strove  to  save  our  few 
earthly  possessions. 

The  rain  was  coming  down  in  sheets  and,  driven 
by  the  force  of  the  wind,  stung  our  faces  and  hands 
as  if  they  were  being  hit  by  peas  from  a  blower. 
We  were  not  often  found  unprotected  from  the 
elements,  for  as  a  rule  due  precautions  were 
taken  to  keep  ourselves  warm  and  dry,  but  on 
this  occasion  our  oilskins  had  unfortunately  been 
left  in  the  boat  and  we  had  to  suffer  accordingly. 
We  recognized  the  fact  that,  as  a  punishment 
for  our  carelessness,  the  drenching  was  well 
deserved. 

We  were  not  the  only  ones  to  suffer  from  the 
fury  of  the  storm  for,  although  they  succeeded 


CLARK  ISLAND  177 

in  preventing  the  entire  collapse  of  their  tent, 
Strong  and  Bennet  were  up  and  down  the  most 
of  the  night  attaining  that  end.  Mac's  tent 
had  stayed  up  thus  far,  seemingly  by  a  miraculous 
Providence,  for  he  had  apparently  slept  soundly 
through  it  all. 

The  climax  of  our  affairs  must  have  occurred 
about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  but,  in  the 
excitement  of  the  moment,  the  passing  of  time 
was  not  taken  into  account,  and  as  a  result  we 
only  remember  it  was  a  long  time  before  broad 
daylight  came.  For  some  time  we  wandered 
about  like  lost  sheep,  looking  for  a  place  sufficiently 
sheltered  to  enable  us  to  raise  the  tent,  or  even 
get  protection  for  ourselves,  but  neither  could  be 
found. 

Finally,  about  ten  o'clock,  it  was  decided  to 
try  setting  up  the  small  cook  tent  in  the  lee  of 
Strong's  tent,  as  a  last  resort.  By  dint  of  hard 
work,  we  managed  to  get  it  up  firmly  and  then 
began  to  bring  the  valuables  from  under  the 
fallen  tent  into  the  safety  of  the  new  one. 

While  thus  moving  under  difficulties,  another 
incident  occurred  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  life. 
One  of  us  was  stooping  over  the  fallen  tent,  re- 
moving some  of  the  stuff,  when  a  sudden  puff  of 
wind  lifted  Mac's  tent,  poles  and  all,  from  its 
moorings  and  carried  it  nearly  a  hundred  feet 
away,  over  the  head  of  the  man  at  the  fallen  tent, 
and  almost  over  the  cliff  and  into  the  sea.  The 


178  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

shock  which  he  got  was  no  greater  than  that  re- 
ceived by  the  sleeping  Mac,  who  sat  bolt-upright 
in  his  blankets  and  looked  around  him,  seemingly 
bewildered  and  unable  to  comprehend  the  exact 
meaning  of  the  disturbance. 

When  all  our  belongings  had  been  brought  into 
the  tent,  we  wrapped  up  in  our  blankets  and  lay 
down  for  a  short  nap.  We  were  not  to  rest 
quietly  for  long,  as  Bennet  rushed  up  soon 
after  and  informed  us  that  the  boat  had  dragged 
its  anchor,  and  was  now  adrift  and  heading  for 
the  rocks  on  the  other  side  of  the  harbour.  We 
hastily  turned  out  and  after  some  difficulty  suc- 
ceeded in  arousing  Mac.  He  was  sleeping  again 
under  his  tent,  which  he  had  spread  out  over 
some  short  sticks  and  weighted  down  with 
stones. 

All  hands  got  into  the  canoe  and  finally  managed 
to  reach  the  boat,  which  by  this  time  was  in 
shallow  water  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  harbour. 
Starting  up  the  engine,  we  faced  the  wind,  and 
when  in  deep  water  again  anchored  the  boat,  and 
returned  to  the  shore  in  the  canoe  by  dint  of 
hard  paddling.  We  had  only  been  a  couple  of 
minutes  in  camp,  when  the  boat  again  began  to 
drift.  The  difficulty  was  now  clear;  the  tide  was 
so  high,  because  of  the  north  winds,  that  the  water 
was  too  deep  for  the  length  of  anchor  rope  which 
we  had  provided,  and  consequently  the  anchor 
could  not  take  hold.  Again  capturing  the  truant, 


CLARK  ISLAND  179 

we  beached  her  on  a  gravelly  spot,  where  we  knew 
she  would  be  safe. 

By  this  time  the  rain  had  ceased,  but  the  wind, 
if  changed  at  all,  was  stronger.  The  view  of  the 
sea  from  the  cliffs  was  certainly  awe  inspiring. 
Great  waves  were  furiously  lashing  the  foot  of 
the  cliffs,  while  off  the  shallower  points,  huge 
breakers  dashed  over  the  rocks  and  hurled  spray 
high  in  the  air.  That  these  breakers  were  very 
large  was  shown  from  the  fact  that  we  could  see 
them  quite  distinctly  as  they  broke  over  the  point 
of  Gillies  Island,  five  miles  away.  The  high  winds 
served  us  well  in  drying  out  the  blankets  that 
had  been  wet  during  the  rainstorm. 

As  it  was  impossible  to  do  any  cooking  outside, 
we  put  up  the  stove  late  in  the  afternoon  and  pre- 
pared a  big  supper  of  pancakes.  This  was  the 
first  food  we  had  partaken  of  that  day,  and, 
needless  to  say,  it  was  heartily  appreciated,  as 
was  the  coziness  of  the  warm,  dry  tent,  and  an 
opportunity  to  discuss  the  events  of  the  storm 
under  favourable  circumstances.  The  wind 
lasted  three  days,  and  during  that  time  our  work 
was  accomplished  under  many  difficulties. 

On  the  following  Saturday,  the  rest  of  Strong's 
party  arrived  in  the  York  boat.  The  cook,  while 
attending  to  his  duties,  noticed  the  boat  approach- 
ing the  island  and  steering  straight  toward  a  reef, 
which  connects  Teresa  to  Clark  Island,  thus 
forming  the  harbour.  The  tide  was  high  at  the 


i8o  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

time  and  the  reef  was  not  visible,  consequently 
the  man  at  the  helm  was  not  to  blame.  By  signals, 
they  were  made  to  understand  that  they  were  sail- 
ing into  dangerous  waters,  and  by  the  same  means 
were  shown  the  proper  way  to  enter  the  harbour. 

It  was  quite  a  village  of  tents  when  the  men 
were  finally  settled  in  camp,  there  being  seven  in 
all.  Remembering  the  experiences  of  a  few  days 
before,  we  warned  the  men  to  set  up  their  tents 
securely,  and  they  had  reason  to  be  thankful  for 
the  precautions  taken. 

On  the  following  day,  we  were  awakened  at  an 
early  hour  by  the  sound  of  driving  rain,  sleet,  and 
snow  on  the  tent.  On  looking  out,  we  saw,  for 
the  first  time  in  our  experience,  the  ground  covered 
with  a  blanket  of  heavy,  wet  snow  on  an  August 
morning.  To  add  to  the  dismal  picture,  the  snow 
was  clinging  to  the  tents  in  a  manner  that  made 
them  look  almost  like  Eskimo  igloos. 

Toward  noon,  the  storm  shifted  from  a  southerly 
to  an  easterly  direction  and  the  snow  changed  to 
rain.  For  a  few  minutes,  during  the  afternoon, 
the  sun  came  out  and  gave  us  a  magnificent  view 
of  the  high  hilltops  around  Richmond  Gulf,  snow- 
capped and  glistening  in  the  evening  sunlight, 
against  a  background  of  angry,  leaden  clouds, 
which  overhung  the  gulf.  This  proved  but  a 
passing  picture,  for  soon  the  clouds  lowered  and 
again  gave  it  the  appearance  of  a  wintry  clime. 

The  view  from  our  tent  was  a  wild  one,  as  the 


CLARK  ISLAND  181 

great  waves  ended  in  huge  breakers,  hurling 
spray  high  into  the  air  at  the  end  of  Teresa  Island. 
The  sky  cleared  about  sunset,  leaving  only  the 
wind  and  the  angry  sea  outside  to  remind  us  of 
the  storm. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
NastapoKa  River 

N  Tuesday  afternoon  it  was  decided 
that  if  the  day  following  were  a 
good  one,  our  own  little  party 
would  start  northward  for  the 
Nastapoka  River.  Consequently 
the  boat  had  to  be  gotten  off  the  beach  and  into 
the  water.  As  the  sea  at  high  tide,  in  the  prevail- 
ing calm,  did  not  reach  the  boat,  it  was  necessary 
to  assemble  all,  the  men  to  get  it  launched.  Once 
in  the  water  and  anchored,  the  boat  was  loaded 
with  the  supplies,  many  of  which  had  to  be  replen- 
ished from  the  stores  on  the  York  boat. 

When  we  arose  the  next  morning,  the  sound 
was  so  thick  with  fog  it  was  impossible  to  see  the 
mainland,  but  when  breakfast  was  over  the  mist 
showed  signs  of  lifting.  On  the  improvement  of 
the  weather  the  dunnage  was  immediately  packed 
and  taken  to  the  boat,  and  at  a  quarter  to  eleven 
o'clock  we  pulled  out  of  the  harbour  despite  the 
fact  that  the  fog  was  still  thick  and  there  was  a 
stiff  head  wind.  It  was  pretty  certain  that  the 
wind  would  make  continued  serious  fog  conditions 
impossible. 

182 


NASTAPOKA  RWER  183 

Despite  the  unfavourable  outlook,  we  felt  quite 
secure  in  undertaking  the  journey,  knowing  there 
were  many  safe  harbours  along  our  course  on  the 
island  side  of  the  sound.  The  run  from  Clark 
to  Gillies  Island  and  that  across  the  sound  from 
Miller  Island  to  the  mouth  of  the  Nastapoka 
River  were  the  only  exposed  portions  of  the  route. 

We  had  heard  tales  at  the  Posts  of  dangers  en- 
countered the  year  previous  by  another  party  going 
over  the  same  course,  but  having  been  over  it 
before  and  knowing  the  locations  of  the  harbours, 
feared  but  little  the  consequences  of  a  storm. 
The  course  lay  along  the  shores  of  Gillies  and  Tay- 
lor islands,  which  resemble  Clark  in  form  and 
structure,  but  the  cliffs  of  which  are  not  so  high, 
while  the  area  of  Gillies  is  much  greater.  The 
islands  between  Taylor  and  the  Nastapoka  River 
are  small,  but  bear  the  same  general  characteristics 
as  those  already  described. 

When  Miller  Island  was  reached  the  sound  was 
crossed  in  the  direction  of  the  Nastapoka  River. 
When  opposite  Gordon  Island  and  about  six  miles 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  the  first  view  of  the 
falls  was  obtained.  Only  the  crest  was  showing 
in  a  notch  high  up  amongst  the  old  granite  hills, 
resembling  a  snowbank  on  the  hillside,  but  over 
it  hung  a  cloud  of  mist,  which  at  first  sight 
appeared  to  be  smoke. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  river  there  is  a  sandbar 
which  extends  out  for  a  mile  or  more  and  it  is 


1 84  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

necessary  to  enter  the  channel  of  the  river  out 
beyond  this  point.  This  fact  was  remembered 
from  the  last  visit,  and  no  difficulty  was  experi- 
enced in  getting  into  the  river.  Ascending  it 
for  about  half  a  mile,  the  boat  was  beached  on 
the  sandy  shore  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  a  little  to 
the  south  of  the  falls.  Here  we  camped  in  the 
entrance  of  a  large  ravine  extending  into  the 
plateau,  which  borders  the  river. 

This,  aside  from  that  at  Conjuring  House,  was 
the  most  picturesque  camping  place  of  the  entire 
trip.  The  tents  were  pitched  on  the  sand  at  the 
foot  of  a  steep  hill  of  clay,  gravel,  and  sand,  and 
beside  an  outcrop  of  rock  about  twenty  feet  high. 
To  the  east  lay  the  ravine,  the  hillsides  continu- 
ally moistened  by  the  spray  from  the  falls  and 
clothed  in  a  garb  of  the  most  beautiful  green  grass, 
the  like  of  which  could  hardly  be  found  but  on 
the  shores  of  the  Emerald  Isle.  To  the  north 
was  the  Nastapoka  Falls  with  its  drop  of,  approx- 
imately, one  hundred  and  seventy  feet,  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  in  Canada,  whose  never-ceasing 
roar,  softened  by  the  distance,  lulled  us  to  sleep 
at  the  close  of  the  day,  and  welcomed  us  on  our 
awakening  at  the  coming  of  the  morn. 

It  was  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  we 
reached  the  foot  of  the  falls,  and  by  the  time  the 
camp  was  set  up  and  the  supper  cooked  and  eaten, 
it  was  time  to  retire. 

It  was  impossible  to  have  an  open  fire  as  the 


NASTAPOKA  RIVER  185 

wood  appeared  to  be  very  scarce,  and  it  could  be 
made  to  last  much  longer  by  using  it  in  the  stove. 
All  that  was  to  be  seen  were  a  few  small  scraps 
of  driftwood,  chiefly  willows.  These  were  broken 
into  pieces  about  a  foot  long  and  ranged  from  a 
quarter  of  an  inch,  to  an  inch  in  thickness.  Be- 
fore retiring  for  the  night,  we  gathered  several 
bucketfuls  for  the  morning  fire,  intending  to  make 
a  thorough  search  for  wood  the  next  day. 

The  following  day  was  a  perfect  one;  the  sun 
shone  brightly  and  there  was  but  a  gentle  breeze. 
We  were  up  early,  anxious  to  see  the  falls  in  the 
morning  sunlight. 

As  soon  as  we  were  out  of  bed,  before  waiting 
to  do  anything  towards  preparing  breakfast,  we 
hastened  off  to  the  foot  of  the  falls.  The  wind, 
which  on  the  previous  afternoon  had  driven  the 
spray  back  into  the  gorge,  making  it  impossible 
to  see  the  falls  from  below,  had  now  changed. 
We  found,  however,  that  the  volume  of  spray  was 
so  great  as  to  completely  fill  the  narrow  chasm 
and  hide  the  foot  of  the  falls,  no  matter  in  what 
direction  the  wind  blew. 

Having  had  information  of  a  supposed  deposit 
of  ore  on  the  mainland  at  this  point,  the  morning 
was  spent  in  prospecting  the  neighbourhood,  but 
without  success,  for  nowhere  was  there  any  ex- 
posure of  rock  except  granite  or  gneiss. 

As  the  afternoon  was  bright  and  sunny,  it  was 
spent  in  examining  and  photographing  the  power 


1 86  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

site.  The  total  fall,  according  to  Mr.  A.  P. 
Low,  is  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  feet, 
and  is  made  up  of  three  chutes  and  intermediate 
rapids  and  a  direct  fall  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  feet.  Flowing  smoothly  but  swiftly,  the 
river  emerges  from  its  valley  amongst  the  granite 
hills  into  a  quiet  basin,  bordered  on  the  north 
side  by  steep  hills  and  on  the  other  by  a  level 
sandy  plateau,  at  an  elevation  of  about  twenty- 
five  feet  above  the  water,  extending  to  the  south- 
east for  several  miles,  following  the  base  of  a 
range  of  smooth,  rocky  hills,  running  in  that 
direction. 

From  the  north  end  of  the  basin,  the  water 
plunges  over  a  chute  with  a  drop  of  about  fifteen 
feet.  This  is  followed  by  a  rapid  of  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length,  terminating  in 
a  chute  with  a  fall  of  twenty  feet.  The  river 
then  turns  westward  and  runs  smoothly  for  five 
hundred  feet,  then  plunges  over  a  chute  with  a 
fall  of  ten  feet,  continuing  from  thence  a  distance 
of  one  thousand  feet  in  a  heavy  rapid  to  the  last 
fall. 

The  main  or  last  fall  drops  into  a  narrow,  verti- 
cal, walled  canon,  which  echoes  and  re-echoes  the 
thundering  of  the  water,  until  it  reaches  mighty 
proportions.  Through  the  canon  the  water  rushes 
in  a  tumultuous  rapid  until  it  loses  its  force  in  the 
quiet  of  the  little  tidal  bay  near  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  which  formed  the  harbour  for  our  craft. 


NASTAPOKA  RIYER  187 

From  the  cliffs  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  a 
magnificent  view  of  the  falls  and  the  camp  was 
obtained.  The  white  tents  snugly  nestling  at 
the  foot  of  the  beautiful,  green  hills,  with  the 
little  boat  in  the  foreground,  completed  a  pic- 
ture of  peaceful  security  well  worthy  to  be 
classed  with  the  vales  of  Switzerland  or  the  fjords 
of  Norway. 

We  had  not  seen  the  moon,  owing  to  the  per- 
sistence of  cloudy  weather  during  its  periods,  since 
leaving  the  Missinaibi  River,  until  the  second 
night  of  our  stay  at  the  Nastapoka  River.  Seeing 
its  light  through  the  tent,  that  night,  we  rushed 
out  to  see  it  and  welcomed  it  as  an  old  friend. 

The  fine  weather  was  not  to  last  long,  for  we 
were  awakened  early  the  next  morning  by  the 
wind  and  the  patter  of  rain  on  the  tent.  The 
camp  watch  was  out  of  order,  as  we  found  later, 
so  arising  at  six  o'clock,  as  we  supposed,  that 
morning,  it  was  really  eight.  We  did  as  much  of 
our  work  as  could  be  done  indoors  and  retired 
early,  for  the  cold,  damp  day  required  the  keeping 
of  a  fire  as  long  as  we  stayed  up,  and  the  drift- 
wood that  had  been  collected,  being  so  light  and 
inflammable,  was  nearly  depleted  as  well  as  the 
nearby  source  of  supply. 

The  weather  continued  stormy  for  the  rest  of 
the  week  and  did  not  clear  up  until  the  evening 
of  the  following  Monday.  This  necessitated  the 
prolonging  of  our  stay  at  Nastapoka  far  longer  than 


1 88  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

we  had  anticipated,  but  we  had  plenty  of  work 
to  occupy  our  time. 

By  Saturday  morning  there  was  only  enough 
wood  left  to  cook  the  breakfast,  that  on  the  neigh- 
bouring beach  being  exhausted.  There  was  now 
no  other  hope  of  supply  save  from  the  beach  along 
the  sea,  about  half  a  mile  down  the  river.  The 
wind,  blowing  hard  directly  up  the  river,  was 
causing  a  heavy  sea,  which,  in  addition  to  the 
force  of  the  water  from  the  rapids  above,  made  it 
a  difficult  undertaking  to  reach  the  mouth  of 
the  river  by  canoe.  However,  the  canoe  was  the 
only  means  of  getting  the  wood  to  camp,  for  the 
riverside  was  bordered  by  high  hills,  over  which 
it  would  be  impossible  to  carry  a  load. 

As  it  was  absolutely  necessary  that  wood  should 
be  found,  it  was  decided  to  make  an  attempt  to 
reach  the  river  mouth  by  canoe.  To  avoid  cross- 
ing the  river  the  south  shore  was  followed.  The 
trip  was  made  safely  by  dint  of  hard  work  and 
careful  manoeuvring,  but  proved  disappointing 
after  all,  for  the  Eskimos,  the  remains  of  whose 
many  camps  were  seen  in  the  neighbourhood,  had 
left  the  place  practically  devoid  of  driftwood. 
What  was  gotten  was  very  little  good,  but  there 
was  sufficient  to  last  until  the  next  day. 

On  Sunday  the  wind  moderated,  making  it 
possible  to  cross  the  river.  We  did  so,  and  after 
scouting  the  beach  for  nearly  two  miles,  obtained 
sufficient  wood  to  last  until  the  camp  was  broken  up. 


...  a  picture  of  peaceful  security.  ..." 


Chutes  above  the  Nastapoka  Falls 


NASTAPOKA  RIVER  189 

During  the  gale  on  Friday,  the  boat,  which 
had  been  beached,  bow  on,  was  driven  side  on 
to  the  beach.  In  endeavouring  to  pull  it  around 
and  make  it  fast,  the  anchor,  which  was  made  of 
cast  iron,  was  broken. 

On  Monday  afternoon,  in  preparation  for  our 
return  to  Clark  Island,  we  launched  the  boat 
and  anchored  it  with  a  large  stone.  The  stone 
was  carried  out  on  a  board  placed  across  the  end 
of  the  canoe,  from  which  position  it  was  dumped 
into  the  water,  fortunately  without  upsetting  the 
unsteady  craft. 

A  farewell  visit  to  the  top  of  the  falls  was  made. 
We  lingered  long,  enjoying  the  magnificent  view 
from  the  crest  looking  out  toward  the  large  ex- 
panse of  water  and  the  islands  of  the  Nastapoka 
Sound. 

For  a  time  we  sat  at  the  very  edge  of  the  preci- 
pice, where  we  could  put  our  hands  into  the  foam- 
ing water  as  it  made  the  plunge  into  the  chasm 
below.  At  other  times  we  were  showered  with 
spray,  as  a  large  wave  was  hurled  with  extra  force 
against  the  rock  at  the  brink  of  the  falls  from  the 
surging  rapid  above. 

Again  we  climbed  still  higher  up  and  took  a 
last  view  of  the  great  sand  plain  beyond.  From 
this  lofty  position,  we  hastily  retraced  our  steps 
to  the  camp,  for  as  the  breeze  had  died  down,  the 
mosquitoes  appeared  in  full  force,  for  the  first 
time  since  our  arrival. 


190  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Being  tired  of  the  diet  of  pancakes  and  Austra- 
lian beef,  it  was  suggested  that  an  attempt  be 
made  to  procure  some  fresh  fish.  From  previous 
experience,  it  was  known  that  there  were  salmon 
trout  in  plenty  in  the  rapids  at  the  foot  of  the 
falls.  It  was  then  late  in  the  afternoon,  so  no 
time  was  lost  in  procuring  our  fishing  tackle  from 
the  tent  and  trying  our  luck  from  the  stern  of  the 
boat  and  an  adjacent  rock. 

Almost  immediately  one  landed  a  fine  salmon 
trout  large  enough  to  make  a  fair  meal  for  the 
party.  The  other  drew  out  a  good  specimen 
later,  but  unfortunately  it  dropped  from  the  hook 
to  a  slippery  rock  and  flopped  back  into  the  water, 
a  great  disappointment  indeed  to  the  angler. 

Much  of  the  outfit  was  carried  to  the  boat  that 
night,  so  that  there  would  be  less  to  do  in  the 
morning. 

According  to  our  timekeeper,  we  were  up  at  a 
quarter  to  four  the  next  morning,  and  ready  to 
leave  at  seven  o'clock.  The  shore  of  the  little 
bay  on  which  the  camp  was  located  was  ankle 
deep  with  sand,  and  it  had  gotten  into  the  food, 
clothing,  bedding,  and  other  equipment.  It  took 
a  long  time  to  get  everything  free  of  it  and  hence 
our  delay. 

The  sky  was  overcast  and  there  was  a  light 
breeze  blowing  from  the  west,  but  having  been 
delayed  so  long,  it  was  thought  best  to  make  a 
start,  even  though  a  harbour  only  across  the 


NASTAPOKA  RlfER  191 

sound  was  reached.  Having  started,  we  were 
anxious  to  reach  our  destination  that  day,  for 
being  without  an  anchor,  it  would  be  necessary 
to  beach  the  boat  if  a  stop  were  made.  This 
was  one  of  the  things  that  it  was  most  necessary 
to  avoid,  as  there  was  always  the  danger  of  getting 
the  boat  carried  too  high  on  the  beach  by  the 
storm  tide,  and  our  crew,  so  few  in  number,  being 
unable  to  launch  it  in  calm  weather. 

We  had  barely  crossed  the  sound  and  gotten 
partially  into  the  shelter  of  the  islands,  when  the 
wind  veered  to  the  north  and  stiffened  considerably, 
but  it  was  behind  us,  so  we  were  able  to  make  use 
of  one  of  the  sails,  and  went  along  at  a  high  rate 
of  speed.  The  sea  became  very  rough  after  we 
passed  the  south  end  of  Gillies  Island,  and  entered 
the  unprotected  opening  between  that  and  Clark. 
There  we  had  one  of  our  most  exciting  experiences. 
The  waves  had  grown  very  boisterous  and  the 
canoe  was  being  tossed  roughly,  rushing  ahead  in 
the  trough  of  the  wave,  then  halting  as  it  rose  to 
the  crest.  Since  its  motion  was  not  in  harmony 
with  that  of  the  boat  towing  it,  a  great  strain  on 
the  tow  line  was  the  result.  Finally  the  rope 
snapped  and  the  canoe,  with  its  load  of  bedding, 
kitchen,  stove,  and  tents,  was  adrift  and  being 
tossed  helplessly  about. 

Now  came  the  exciting  moment.  If  the  canoe 
was  to  be  rescued  it  was  necessary  to  retrace  our 
course  in  the  face  of  the  gale.  This  was  decided 


192  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

on  quickly,  the  sail  was  released,  and  around  the 
boat  was  turned,  during  which  movement  it 
seemed  as  though  every  time  we  went  into  the 
trough  of  the  waves  the  little  boat  would  be  en- 
gulfed. Turn  after  turn  had  to  be  made  before 
the  truant  canoe  could  be  approached  and  cap- 
tured. After  a  very  trying  and  dangerous  expe- 
rience she  was  made  fast  and  we  continued  on  our 
course. 

We  had  not  gone  far  when  the  tow  line  broke 
again  and  the  canoe  was  carried  high  over  the 
tossing  waves.  Again  we  turned  in  our  course, 
and  after  much  difficult  manoeuvring  secured  and 
made  it  fast  with  a  much  larger  and  stronger  rope. 

Still,  at  least,  two  or  three  miles  off  Clark  Island, 
we  began  to  wonder  if  a  place  of  safety  could  be 
reached  before  the  sea  grew  heavy  enough  to 
swamp  us.  Steadily  the  little  boat  rode  the  waves 
and  each  moment  we  were  getting  nearer  safety. 
Presently  we  got  into  the  lee  of  Armstrong  Island, 
a  small  one  north  of  Clark.  The  effect  on  the 
sea  was  quite  noticeable  and  was  a  source  of  much 
relief  to  the  anxious  crew. 

The  harbour  of  Clark  Island  was  reached  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  after  the  boat 
was  unloaded,  she  was  beached.  Camp  was  set 
up  near  the  water,  so  that  it  would  be  convenient 
for  preparing  the  boat  and  supplies  for  the  return 
trip. 

There  was  still  some  work  to  be  done  on  Clark 


NASTAPOKA  RlfER  193 

and  the  two  smaller  islands  between  it  and  Gillies, 
Armstrong,  and  Curran.  We  attended  to  this  as 
soon  as  possible  in  order  that  the  return  journey 
might  not  be  delayed. 

Much  of  the  weather,  meantime,  was  damp, 
and  a  drizzling  rain  fell  almost  every  day.  How- 
ever, it  was  not  cool  enough  to  subdue  the  mosqui- 
toes, which  were  still  very  active.  They  were  so 
bad,  in  fact,  that  one  day  the  drill  men  had  to 
cease  work  and  take  refuge  in  the  protection  of 
their  canopies. 

One  thing  was  observed  particularly  in  regard 
to  the  weather  conditions.  Most  of  the  "dirty" 
storms  (drizzling  rain  and  fog)  seemed  to  ema- 
nate from  clouds  that  constantly  hung  over  Rich- 
mond Gulf,  which,  when  driven  by  the  offshore 
winds  out  over  the  Bay,  discharged  their  moisture 
there.  This  we  think  was  largely  due  to  the  con- 
tact between  the  warm  water  from  the  inland 
rivers,  which  is  concentrated  in  the  gulf,  and  the 
cooler  air  from  over  the  Bay,  thus  causing  the 
formation  of  vapour. 

13 


CHAPTER  XV 
ClarK  Island  to  Great  Whale  River 

UR  work  was  completed,  as  we  anti- 
cipated, on  the  evening  of  Saturday, 
August  the  thirty-first.  In  the 
meantime,  Mac  had  completely 
overhauled  the  boat  and  engine 
and  the  blacksmith  had  devised  an  anchor  from 
the  only  available  material,  viz.,  two  pick  mat- 
tocks placed  at  right  angles  to  each  other  on  one 
handle.  This  was  thoroughly  tested  on  some  of 
our  trips  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  its  holding 
power  proved  equal  to,  if  not  greater  than,  that 
of  our  former  anchor. 

On  Monday  morning,  September  the  second, 
we  were  up  at  half  past  three,  and  preparing  to 
start  on  our  homeward  journey.  It  was  still 
dark  outside,  save  for  the  pale  light  of  the  moon, 
which  at  times  shone  through  the  thin  vapoury 
clouds  that  were  scudding  across  the  sky. 

Without  awakening  the  camp,  we  loaded  our 
last  canoeful  of   outfit,  and  slipping  silently  out 
to  the  boat,  transferred  the  load  into  it,  weighed 
anchor,  and  sailed  quietly  out  of  the  harbour. 
By  this  time  there  was  a 'slight  wind  blowing 
194 


The  Main  Hematite  Bed,  Clark  Island 


The  Cliffs  and  Flats,  Clark  Island 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       195 

from  the  south-east,  and  as  was  our  usual  luck, 
it  freshened  almost  immediately  and  a  heavy  sea 
was  soon  rolling.  The  direction  from  which  this 
wind  was  blowing  made  it  nearly  dead  against  us, 
and  in  consequence  we  were  soon  taking  large 
quantities  of  water  as  spray  from  the  waves 
which  were  constantly  breaking  over  our  bow. 
In  fact,  several  large  waves  struck  the  man  at 
the  wheel  with  such  force  as  to  knock  him  off 
his  feet. 

We  had  planned  so  eagerly  to  make  a  quick 
return  trip,  it  seemed  hard  to  go  into  shelter  so 
soon,  but  we  realized  that  despite  the  efficient 
protection  of  the  canvas  boat  cover,  the  water 
then  being  shipped  would  soon  ruin  the  provisions, 
of  which  there  was  now  only  a  very  limited  supply. 
Still  more  serious  was  the  danger  of  losing  the 
canoe,  so  we  concluded  the  proper  thing  to  do  was 
to  cross  to  the  mainland  side  and  seek  protection 
in  Salmon  Fisher's  Cove.  This  necessitated  a 
cut  of  about  ten  miles  across  open  water. 

To  swing  the  boat  around  toward  the  cove  was 
to  bring  it  dead  into  the  wind,  and  in  order  to 
quarter  the  waves  as  they  came  rolling  up  toward 
us,  it  was  necessary  at  times  to  throw  the  boat 
out  of  her  course,  consequently  slow  progress  was 
made  toward  the  cove.  The  storm  gradually 
grew  in  violence  and  we  were  very  fortunate  in 
getting  into  the  protection  of  the  harbour  as  soon 
as  we  did,  shortly  after  eight  o'clock. 


196  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

It  was  not  without  considerable  disappointment 
that  we  were  compelled  to  anchor  so  soon.  Hav- 
ing gotten  such  an  early  start,  it  had  been  hoped 
to  make  the  day's  run  a  record  one,  but  the  cir- 
cumstances which  followed  amply  compensated 
us  for  our  disappointment. 

Barely  had  we  finished  setting  up  camp  on  a 
grassy  spot,  in  the  protection  of  some  high  rocks, 
when  a  heavy  rain  set  in  and  continued  with  but 
slight  intermission  throughout  the  day. 

The  boat  was  anchored  in  just  enough  water 
to  keep  her  afloat  at  low  tide,  but  since  the  wind 
was  offshore,  the  sea  was  quite  calm  in  the  cove. 
That  such  quietude  did  not  prevail  outside  was 
amply  verified  from  the  crest  of  a  high  granite 
hill  which  lay  between  the  camp  and  the  sea.  In 
fact,  it  was  but  a  repetition  of  the  storm  that  had 
occurred  after  our  arrival  at  Clark  Island. 

On  awakening  the  next  morning,  it  was  found 
that  the  wind  had  veered  to  the  south-west,  the 
least  protected  quarter  of  the  cove,  and  huge 
breakers  were  rolling  up  the  beach.  The  boat 
was  tossing  heavily  and  many  of  the  large  waves 
broke  over  her,  the  water  being  too  shallow  to 
admit  of  her  riding  them. 

After  breakfast,  two  of  the  party  launched  the 
canoe  in  the  surf  and  paddled  out  to  the  boat. 
It  was  a  novel  experience,  for  the  breakers  were 
large  and  many  boulders  were  scattered  over  the 
beach,  promising  disaster  if  control  of  the  craft 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       197 

was  lost,  but  they  managed  to  reach  the  boat 
without  mishap,  save  a  drenching. 

Boarding  the  boat  was  not  so  easy,  for  it  seemed 
never  to  be  on  the  crest  of  a  wave  at  the  same  time 
as  the  canoe.  Finally  as  one,  crouching  low  in 
the  bow  of  the  canoe,  clung  tenaciously  to  the 
boat,  the  other  watched  for  a  favourable  oppor- 
tunity and  then  sprang  to  the  side  of  it,  luckily 
obtaining  a  secure  footing. 

A  foot  of  water,  which  they  found  in  the  stern, 
was  bucketed  and  pumped  out  until  it  was  lower 
than  the  floor  boards,  when  the  craft  was  on  an 
even  keel,  a  condition  which  could  only  be  imagined 
and  not  actually  seen. 

The  cash,  films,  and  valuable  papers  were  pro- 
cured and  a  start  made  for  the  shore.  The  sea 
was  so  rough,  it  was  impossible  to  bring  the  heavy 
foodstuffs  with  them.  The  return  trip  was  cer- 
tainly not  lacking  in  excitement  and  they  barely 
escaped  disaster.  Running  the  surf  before  the 
stiff  wind,  a  big  wave  caught  and  carried  them 
forward,  almost  dropping  them  on  top  of  a  large 
boulder.  It  all  occurred  so  quickly  that  they 
found  themselves  high  up  on  the  beach  before 
fully  realizing  what  had  happened. 

The  storm  continued  all  day,  and  about  four 
o'clock  the  boat  was  again  visited.  The  breakers 
had  been  particularly  heavy  all  afternoon,  espe- 
cially at  low  tide,  and  so  many  had  broken  over 
her  that  the  iron  hoop,  supporting  the  boat  cover 


I98  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

at  the  bow,  was  completely  battered  down  and  a 
large  opening  left  into  which  the  water  had  been 
pouring.  The  stern  was  again  found  to  be  full 
of  water  and  was  pumped  out.  The  provisions 
in  camp  were  running  low  so  it  was  necessary  to 
bring  some  ashore,  if  at  all  possible,  and  also 
clothing  to  provide  a  dry  change  when  they 
•returned  to  camp. 

One  got  into  the  bow  of  the  canoe  and  held  it 
close  alongside  the  boat  while  the  other  watched 
for  the  opportune  moment  at  which  to  drop  the 
various  parcels  into  it.  It  really  seemed  as  if 
this  was  the  signal  for  renewed  activity  of  the 
sea,  for  half  a  dozen  or  more  waves  broke  succes- 
sively over  the  bow  of  the  canoe,  drenching  its 
unlucky  occupant  and  nearly  swamping  it.  Like 
drowned  rats,  they  reached  the  shore  and  the 
balance  of  the  day  was  spent  in  drying  out 
the  clothes  and  food  they  had  brought  with 
them. 

Before  dark,  the  boat  turned  completely  around, 
grounded  as  the  tide  went  down,  and  began  to 
take  the  waves  stern  on,  in  which  position  she 
would  soon  have  swamped.  A  large  coil  of  rope 
was  procured  and  attached  to  the  bow,  the  other 
end  being  carried  over  the  high  rock  that  bordered 
the  cove,  to  a  point  facing  the  sea,  and  there  by 
dint  of  hard  pulling  the  boat  was  hauled  around 
and  made  fast  in  safer  water.  This  was  really  a 
nasty  job,  as  we  stumbled  over  the  rocks  in  the 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       199 

pitchy  darkness  of  the  night,  and  there  was  more 
than  one  bruised  and  barked  shin  exhibited  upon 
the  return  to  the  camp. 

The  next  morning  was  beautifully  bright  and 
clear,  and  the  wind,  although  still  from  the  same 
quarter,  was  much  diminished,  but  the  sea  was 
far  too  rough  for  travelling.  As  this  was  the  third 
day  of  the  storm,  it  'was  hoped  that  conditions 
would  improve  and  that  it  would  be  possible  to 
leave  in  the  afternoon.  Preparations  were  made 
accordingly,  but  the  sea  continued  too  boisterous 
for  travelling,  making  it  necessary  to  wait  over 
until  the  next  morning. 

This  gave  us  an  excellent  opportunity  to  visit 
the  Richmond  Gulf,  which  we  believed  to  be  not 
more  than  eight  or  ten  miles  inland.  We  pre- 
pared anyway  for  a  good  long  walk,  and  went  just 
as  light  as  possible.  We  had  noticed  that  the 
gentle  grassy  slope  which  began  at  the  beach  of 
Salmon  Fisher's  Cove  extended  in  a  north-easterly 
direction  between  two  parallel  ranges  of  trap  hills, 
the  cliffs  of  which  rose  high  on  either  side.  It 
was  decided  to  follow  this  pass  as  far  as  possible. 
The  walking  proved  very  good,  for  the  slope  was 
gradual  and  the  sandy  soil  was  carpeted  with 
short  grass  and  moss. 

Here  and  there  along  the  way  were  small  clumps 
of  gnarled  spruce,  scarcely  twelve  feet  in  height 
and  five  to  six  inches  at  the  butt.  Their  twisted 
forms  told  of  the  struggle  for  existence  in  the 


200  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

northern  clime,  for  this  is  virtually  the  tree  limit 
on  the  East  Coast.  The  farther  inland  one  goes, 
the  farther  northward  the  tree  limit  is  found  to 
extend,  until  it  emerges  on  the  southern  shore  of 
Ungava  Bay. 

The  summit  of  the  slope  we  were  traversing 
was  attained  about  two  miles  from  the  sea.  As 
it  was  approached,  a  well-marked  trail  was  found 
leading  in  the  same  direction  as  we  were  going, 
undoubtedly  made  by  the  Eskimos  who  inhabit 
the  country  surrounding  the  gulf. 

At  this  summit,  a  sight  met  our  eyes  which 
was  not  only  picturesque,  but  grand.  Beyond 
us  about  a  mile,  the  gentle  slope  ended  on  the 
shores  of  a  most  charming  lake,  bordered  on  all 
sides  by  high  hills,  those  to  the  south  and  east, 
of  trap,  rising  with  steep  slopes,  those  to  the 
north  and  west  rising  as  vertical  cliffs,  a  continua- 
tion of  the  range  to  the  north  of  the  pass  through 
which  the  trail  led. 

The  hills  and  cliffs  were  undoubtedly  from  five 
to  seven  hundred  feet  high,  and  down  them  rushed 
many  little  torrents,  winding  like  silver  threads 
against  the  dark  background  of  trap. 

The  trail  led  down  through  the  valley  to  the 
lake  and  then  turned  to  the  north  for  some  dis- 
tance, following  the  foot  of  the  cliffs,  between  the 
talus  slope  and  the  lake. 

The  lake,  which  was  beautifully  clear,  had  a 
sandy  beach  and  bottom,  upon  which  there  was 


An  Eskimo  Family,  Nastapoka  Sound 


At  the  Tree  Limit 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       201 

no  growth  of  vegetation,  and  was  from  four  to 
five  miles  long  and  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile 
wide,  narrowing  to  points  at  the  ends.  At  its 
eastern  extremity,  the  lake  empties  into  a  small 
stream  which  follows  an  easterly  course  through 
the  opening  between  the  hills.  At  this  point,  the 
talus  slopes  at  the  foot  of  the  cliff  extend  to  the 
water  and  thus  force  the  trail  to  mount  them,  a 
rather  rough  place  since  they  are  made  up  chiefly 
of  large,  angular  blocks  of  trap. 

The  cliffs  at  the  end  of  the  lake  made  a  grand 
picture.  The  dark,  columnal  trap,  in  a  layer  of 
great  thickness,  surmounting  vari-coloured  strata 
of  limestone,  and  the  talus  slopes,  covered  with 
a  scrubby  growth  of  green,  at  their  feet,  gave  a 
brilliant  play  of  colour  in  the  sunlight. 

A  short  distance  ahead  we  descended  to  the 
level  of  the  stream,  and  while  doing  so  noticed 
what  appeared  to  be  the  remains  of  an  old  sea 
beach,  the  rounded  boulders  piled  high  up  on  the 
edge  of  the  cliff  fully  three  hundred  feet  above 
the  present  level  of  the  sea. 

The  trail  led  along  the  bank  of  the  stream  and 
soon  traces  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  locality  were 
seen  in  the  form  of  several  salmon  spears,  cached 
on  a  large  rock.  These  spears  were  a  marvel  of 
ingenuity,  with  the  shaft  of  driftwood,  carefully 
squared  up,  the  forks  of  seal  ribs,  and  the  curved 
points  of  nails,  evidently  obtained  at  the  Posts. 
Unlike  the  Indian,  whose  handicraft  though  ser- 


202  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

viceable  is  distinctly  crude,  the  Eskimo  is  by 
nature  an  artisan  of  high  order. 

Rounding  a  projecting  point  of  the  cliff,  we 
were  confronted  by  a  huge,  pyramid-shaped 
mountain,  rising  from  seven  hundred  to  a  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  stream.  This  we  named 
Table  Mountain  because  of  its  flat  top.  It  stood 
seemingly  in  the  middle  of  the  valley,  dividing  it. 
The  pass  on  the  northern  side  was  the  deeper  and 
through  it  flowed  the  stream,  along  the  shore  of 
which  the  trail  continued  to  the  gulf,  as  was 
found  later. 

Beyond  Table  Mountain  the  valley  narrowed 
until  it  became  practically  nothing  more  than  a 
gorge.  The  arm  of  the  gulf,  into  which  the  stream 
emptied,  soon  appeared  and  it  was  apparent  that 
our  walk  of  eight  miles  was  nearly  completed. 

As  the  mouth  of  the  stream  was  approached, 
more  evidences  of  the  Eskimo  camps  appeared, 
and  several  water  casks  and  many  traps,  as  well 
as  rows  of  small  stones,  which  marked  the  locations 
of  their  tents,  were  to  be  seen. 

But  little  of  the  gulf  proper  could  be  seen,  for 
the  arm  of  it,  on  the  shore  of  which  the  trail  ended, 
extended  for  some  distance  behind  a  point  of  the 
mainland,  although  a  small  portion  of  the  high 
hills  on  the  opposite  side  was  visible  past  the  end 
of  the  arm. 

Only  remaining  for  a  few  minutes,  as  it  was 
growing  late,  we  turned  our  faces  homeward,  with 


The  Coliseum  Cliff,  Salmon  Fisher's  Trail 


Table  Mountain,  Salmon  Fisher's  Trail 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       203 

a  feeling  of  the  greatest  satisfaction  at  having 
completed  that  which  had  been  long  planned  and 
finally  given  up  as  an  impossibility  on  that  trip. 

The  walk  back  through  the  valley,  lighted  by 
the  rays  of  the  lowering  sun,  along  the  hard- 
beaten  Eskimo  trail,  was  an  experience  long  to  be 
remembered.  Reaching  the  crest  of  the  hill, 
dividing  the  valley  from  the  sea,  we  were  privileged 
to  see  another  beautiful  panorama.  The  waters 
of  the  Bay  extended  to  the  horizon  like  a  sheet  of 
gold,  as  it  reflected  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun, 
while  the  Nastapoka  Islands  seemed  as  a  setting 
of  precious  stones. 

The  camp  was  reached  about  seven  o'clock, 
the  entire  walk  of  about  sixteen  miles  being  made 
in  four  and  one  half  hours. 

The  following  morning,  Thursday,  we  arose  at 
four  o'clock,  but  owing  to  the  boat  being  aground 
did  not  get  away  until  seven.  The  travelling  was 
quite  good,  although  the  air  was  cold  and  damp 
and  at  times  there  was  a  thick  fog.  We  managed 
to  stay  well  in  sight  of  the  shore  and  still  keep  in 
safe  water.  Only  once  did  we  lose  our  position. 
This  was  during  a  particularly  heavy  period  of 
fog,  when  the  end  of  a  long  point  of  the  mainland 
was  mistaken  for  that  of  Belanger  Island.  When 
the  fog  lifted  we  were  steering  directly  into  a 
deep  bay  above  the  point. 

At  the  entrance  to  Richmond  Gulf,  a  York 
boat  was  seen  anchored  in  a  little  harbour,  and 


204  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

as  we  came  nearer,  the  marquees  of  an  Eskimo  camp 
came  into  view.  It  was  certain  that  these  Eski- 
mos had  come  from  the  Great  Whale  River  Post, 
and  the  fact  that  they  were  on  the  way  to  their 
hunting  grounds  was  an  evidence  that  the  Inenew 
had  arrived  with  the  supplies.  If  this  were  the 
case,  undoubtedly  the  Bishop  had  left  for  home. 

The  sun  shone  out  as  we  came  directly  opposite 
to  the  entrance  of  the  gulf,  and  gave  us  a  glimpse 
of  the  gorge;  and  the  falls  of  the  Wiachuan  River 
in  the  hills  beyond  were  dimly  visible.  The 
current  was  very  swift  through  the  entrance,  as 
the  tide  was  coming  in,  and  the  water  was  quite 
rough.  As  the  direction  of  the  current  was  in- 
ward, the  course  was  taken  at  a  good  distance 
from  the  mainland. 

Little  Whale  River  was  reached  about  eleven 
o'clock,  but  no  attempt  was  made  to  enter,  al- 
though we  would  have  done  so  had  the  season 
been  less  advanced.  The  chief  object  now  was  to 
reach  Moose  Factory  as  speedily  as  possible, 
although  it  was  our  intention  not  to  leave  Fort 
George  until  the  other  party  had  caught  up  with 
us. 

Throughout  the  return  journey  it  was  the  pur- 
pose to  give  strict  attention  to  the  mainland  so 
as  to  locate  any  safe  harbours  which  might  be 
there,  in  case  they  should  at  any  time  in  the 
future  be  needed. 

About  two  o'clock  Second  River  was  reached, 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       205 

where  the  York  boat  had  been  overtaken  on  our 
way  northward.  It  was  planned  to  visit  Duck 
Island,  had  we  returned  earlier  in  the  season,  but  it 
was  too  late  now  for  this,  so  we  passed  on  to  the 
upper  Boat  Opening,  at  the  north  end  of  the 
Manitounuk  Sound,  reaching  it  about  five  o'clock. 
The  tide  was  going  out  and  we  had  to  face  a  very 
strong  current,  but  succeeded  in  passing  through 
safely. 

Once  in  the  sound,  we  began  to  look  for  the 
old  camping  place  of  five  years  before,  but  with- 
out success.  Eventually,  a  very  inviting  harbour 
was  found  at  the  north  side  of  Castle  Rock,  amid 
a  clump  of  beautiful  spruce  trees.  It  was  a  real 
pleasure  to  be  able  to  camp  in  the  shelter  of  the 
trees,  and  where  we  could  again  make  ourselves 
a  bed  of  boughs. 

As  may  be  imagined,  the  soft,  springy  bed,  the 
first  since  we  left  Fort  George,  proved  very  com- 
fortable and  enticing.  As  it  was  our  intention 
not  to  go  beyond  Great  Whale  River  that  day, 
we  slept  later  than  usual  and  consequently  did 
not  weigh  anchor  until  ten  o'clock.  The  day  was 
dull  most  of  the  time,  although  the  sun  shone  at 
intervals.  The  sea  was  calm  and  we  sailed  along 
under  the  most  enjoyable  conditions. 

We  were  delayed  somewhat  in  getting  into  the 
Great  Whale  River  as  something  went  wrong  with 
the  engine  while  just  outside  of  the  mouth.  We 
reached  the  Post  at  five  o'clock  and  were  met  by 


206  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Harold  Undgarten,  the  Factor  being  absent, 
having  gone  to  Char  It  on  Island  to  meet  the 
steamer  from  Montreal. 

A  site  for  the  camp  was  selected  on  the  slope 
between  the  Factor's  house  and  the  bank  of  the 
river.  The  Post  is  situated  on  the  side  of  a  hill 
which  runs  east  and  west  and  is  thus  protected 
from  the  north  and  west  sea  breezes.  The  slope 
was  covered  with  a  growth  of  grass  fully  two  feet 
high. 

The  Eskimos  were  most  friendly,  assisting  us 
in  transferring  our  dunnage  from  the  boat  to  the 
tent  and  in  securing  a  supply  of  firewood. 

To  visit  the  various  buildings  of  the  Post  again, 
in  which  a  number  of  days  had  been  spent  on 
our  previous  trip,  was  most  interesting.  Harold 
Undgarten's  house  was  visited  the  first  evening. 
He  had  much  to  tell  of  events  that  had  transpired 
since  we  had  been  there,  five  years  before.  Natu- 
rally, the  most  important  to  him  were  the  chang- 
ing of  Factors,  Mr.  McKenzie  being  replaced  by 
Mr.  Mavor,  and  the  improvements  in  the  Com- 
pany's buildings. 

Our  attention  was  attracted  by  a  large  pile  of 
squared  timber  lying  in  the  Post  yard.  Harold 
informed  us  that  he  was  going  to  have  a  new 
house  and  that  the  timber  was  for  the  frame.  The 
posts  and  beams  were  about  six  by  eight  inches, 
very  much  larger  than  seemed  necessary.  The 
logs  had  been  procured  from  the  valley  of  the 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       207 

Great  Whale  River,  and  had  evidently  been  cut 
pretty  well  out  in  the  open,  as  they  were  quite 
knotty. 

On  our  inquiry  as  to  the  condition  of  trade, 
Harold  stated  that  there  had  been  nothing  done 
yet  that  year,  and  that  the  catch  of  the  last  season, 
which  had  just  been  shipped,  was  hardly  up  to 
the  standard.  The  season  previous  to  that  had 
been  a  record  one.  Eighty  thousand  dollars' 
worth  of  skins,  chiefly  of  the  Arctic  fox,  had  been 
secured  at  this  Post. 

The  Post  formerly  shipped  large  quantities  of 
seal  and  whale  oil,  but  of  late  years  comparatively 
little  has  been  produced.  We  had  noticed  the 
scarcity  of  whales  on  this  trip  in  comparison  to 
the  great  numbers  that  were  to  be  seen  in  1907. 
For  this  almost  every  native  had  an  explanation 
of  his  own,  the  unusual  weather  conditions  being 
the  chief  reason  given  for  their  absence. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  seals  were  unusually 
plentiful.  They  were  about  us  on  every  hand, 
no  matter  where  we  were  sailing.  Some  were 
seen  even  in  the  rivers,  up  which  they  had  gone 
to  get  a  meal  of  fancy  fresh- water  fish,  no  doubt 
by  way  of  a  change.  The  flesh  and  blubber  of 
the  seal  are  much  prized  by  the  Eskimos,  both 
as  food  for  themselves  and  their  dogs.  The  eating 
of  blubber  is  probably  accountable  for  the  former's 
plump  forms  and  greasy  appearance.  The  skin, 
too,  forms  one  of  their  most  valuable  assets.  From 


208  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

it  they  make  their  boots,  cover  their  kyaks, 
manufacture  their  dog  harness  and  harpoon  lines, 
and  they  probably  have  a  dozen  other  uses  for  it, 
in  fact  their  entire  winter  costume  is  made  from 
seal,  polar  bear,  caribou,  and  other  skins. 

Before  leaving  Harold's  house  that  night  he 
promised  us  assistance  in  getting  our  boat  ready 
to  be  repaired  the  next  morning.  Consequently 
several  of  the  neighbouring  Eskimos  came  to  help 
us  haul  it  up  on  the  beach  and  raise  it  into  posi- 
tion for  repairs.  On  the  whole,  it  had  stood  the 
journey  well,  but  the  rudder  had  become  displaced 
from  the  protecting  shoe,  during  the  storm  at 
Salmon  Fisher's  Cove. 

Our  helpers  were  good-natured,  smiling  fellows, 
with  ideas  of  their  own  as  to  how  the  work  should 
be  done.  There  was  a  marked  difference  between 
them  and  the  average  Indians,  who,  no  doubt, 
would  have  looked  on  carelessly,  wondering  more 
than  anything  else  if  they  were  going  to  receive 
something  to  eat  or  tobacco  to  smoke  in  return 
for  their  services. 

We  hoped  to  leave  as  soon  as  the  boat  was  re- 
paired, but  when  the  work  was  completed,  the 
hour  was  so  late  it  would  have  been  impossible 
for  us  to  have  reached  another  harbour  by  night- 
fall. The  days  were  shortening  very  perceptibly, 
so  it  was  impossible  to  start  before  seven  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  or  run  later  than  five  in  the  evening. 
In  fact,  the  day  was  just  about  half  the  length  of 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       209 

what  it  would  have  been  in  the  middle  of  June  at 
that  latitude.  It  might  be  interesting  to  note 
that  in  the  Hudson  Straits,  during  the  early  sum- 
mer, there  is  practically  no  night  whatever,  and 
it  is  because  of  this  long  day  of  sunshine  that 
vegetation  is  so  rapid  and  grains  and  vegetables 
mature  so  quickly  in  the  far  North. 

The  next  day,  Sunday,  was  a  foggy,  stormy 
day,  consequently  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  leave. 
The  day  was  spent  very  quietly  as  Sunday  is 
strictly  observed  at  Great  Whale  River.  In  fact 
the  Eskimos  cut  our  Sunday  wood  on  Saturday 
with  the  expectation  that  we  might  remain  over, 
and  Harold  was  very  particular  in  ascertaining 
if  we  had  everything  that  would  be  required  from 
the  store,  as  he  could  not  open  it  on  Sunday. 

We  had  patronized  the  store  extensively,  being 
almost  entirely  out  of  provisions  when  the  Post 
was  reached,  and  a  supply  of  the  ordinary  articles 
of  food  was  obtained  and  eaten  with  as  much  relish 
as  if  they  had  been  real  delicacies. 

In  the  _afternoon,  we  attended  service  in  the 
little  church  on  the  top  of  the  hill  overlooking  the 
Post,  on  one  side,  and  the  sea,  on  the  other.  In 
the  absence  of  Nero,  the  lay  preacher,  who  had 
just  been  ordained  a  deacon  by  the  Bishop  and 
was  on  a  missionary  tour  as  far  south  as  Rupert 
House,  the  service  was  led  by  Peter,  another  native 
evangelist. 

The   service   was   conducted   entirely   in   the 


210  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Eskimo  tongue,  but  although  unintelligible  to  us, 
the  earnestness  of  the  preacher  and  his  hearers 
was  a  fitting  lesson  for  any  one  professing  Christian- 
ity. The  eloquence  with  which  Peter  delivered 
his  discourse  would  have  been  an  inspiration  to 
many  a  half-hearted  minister.  The  heartiness 
of  the  singing,  in  which  everyone  joined,  would 
have  been  a  revelation  to  the  congregation  of 
many  a  modern  church.  Another  noticeable  fact 
was  the  attendance  of  whole  families,  the  old 
grandfather  as  well  as  the  baby  grandchild. 

The  occasion  was  interesting  as  well  as  surpris- 
ing. Although  not  a  word  from  the  beginning 
to  the  close  of  the  service  could  be  understood, 
it  was  our  duty  to  be  present  and  show  these 
people  that  we  were  heartily  in  sympathy  with 
them.  The  missionaries  say  that  they  are  placed 
in  a  most  embarrassing  position  when  white  men 
visit  the  Posts  and  entirely  ignore  the  church. 
The  natives  suppose  the  Church  to  be  a  universal 
institution  of  the  white  man,  and  the  missionaries 
have  been  plied  with  many  questions  regarding 
the  fact  that  some  of  the  visitors  had  failed  to 
attend  the  services.  These  questions  they  have 
found  very  difficult  to  answer.  In  fact,  the 
Eskimo  is,  generally  speaking,  a  thinking  man, 
and  it  is  not  an  infrequent  occurrence  for  the 
missionary  to  be  hard-pressed  for  an  answer  to 
his  critical  questions  regarding  the  creation  and 
other  Biblical  stories  with  which  he  is  familiar. 


Castle  Rock,  Manitounuk  Sound 


*<fc 


Eskimos  at  Service,  Great  Whale  River 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       211 

At  the  close  of  the  service,  as  is  the  usual  custom 
when  white  men  attend,  the  natives  sat  still  and 
waited  for  the  visitors  to  leave.  As  soon  as  we 
reached  the  door,  the  congregation  rose  and  started 
to  disperse. 

In  the  evening,  we  again  visited  the  home  of 
Harold  Undgarten,  and  were  entertained  with  a 
sacred  concert  on  the  Victor  gramophone.  This 
machine  is  playing  a  very  prominent  part  in  the 
civilization  and  education  of  the  Indians  and 
Eskimos  of  the  Bay.  At  the  various  Posts,  we 
had  been  entertained  with  the  gramophone,  and 
while  many  of  the  records  were  of  a  sacred  nature, 
others  were  of  the  better  class  of  secular  music, 
and  had  evidently  been  carefully  selected.  On 
this  occasion  we  listened  to  some  records  of  well- 
known  singers,  amongst  whom  were  the  Hay  den 
quartette  in  their  widely  known  renditions  of 
Nearer  my  God  to  Thee,  Rock  of  Ages,  and  Jesus 
Lover  of  my  Soul.  It  was  very  enjoyable  to  hear 
these  old  selections,  in  fact,  it  was  like  meeting 
old  friends,  after  an  absence  of  several  months 
from  the  realms  of  good  music. 

The  Eskimos  have  a  great  love  for  music  and 
whenever  a  talking  machine  is  within  hearing 
distance  they  are  certain  to  be  attracted  by  it. 
A  very  amusing  story  is  told  by  one  of  the  mis- 
sionaries. An  Eskimo  hearing  a  gramophone,  for 
the  first  time,  delivering  a  discourse  in  his  own 
language,  dropped  his  chin  in  amazement  and 


212  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

said  to  the  missionary,  "Is  that  a  canned  mis- 
sionary?'* The  other  replied  in  the  affirmative, 
and  then  the  query  came,  "Why  don't  you  take 
off  the  lid  and  let  him  out?" 

When  the  concert  was  over,  Harold  informed  us 
that  he  also  had  a  phonograph,  and  producing 
it,  said  that  it  was  out  of  order.  Mac  at  once 
undertook  to  look  it  over  with  the  intention  of 
repairing  it,  but  was  quietly  rebuked  with  the 
remark,  "It  is  Sunday  and  we  will  wait  until 
tomorrow  for  any  repairing  that  is  necessary." 

Harold  was  in  a  good  talking  mood,  and  after 
some  encouragement,  told  of  many  incidents  in 
the  religious  life  of  the  people.  He  informed  us 
that  since  our  last  visit,  the  Eskimos  and  Indians 
connected  with  the  Post  had  become  deeply 
religious,  due  entirely  to  the  teaching  of  Mr. 
Walton.  Every  year,  the  latter  makes  two  trips 
to  Great  Whale  River  Post  and  on  one  of  them 
remains  for  a  month  with  the  people.  These  all 
assemble  at  the  time  planned  the  previous  year 
for  the  next  annual  visit. 

Mr.  Walton's  fame  has  been  carried  by  visiting 
Eskimos  from  place  to  place  until  it  has  finally 
reached  the  Labrador  coast,  from  which  many 
came  the  previous  spring.  This  meant  a  journey 
of  at  least  a  thousand  miles  overland,  going  and 
returning.  The  visiting  Eskimos  were  so  pleased 
with  their  experience  at  the  Great  Whale  River 
Post  that  they  had  succeeded  in  getting  Mr. 


RETURN  FROM  CLARK  ISLAND       213 

Walton  to  promise  to  meet  them  there  the  follow- 
ing July,  agreeing  to  return  at  that  time  with 
double  their  number. 

One  can  imagine  the  earnestness  of  these  Eski- 
mos by  their  willingness  to  undertake  such  a  long 
journey  for  the  sake  of  the  missionary's  teaching 
and  preaching.  They  possess  a  great  desire  to 
know  the  full  contents  of  the  Bible,  and  are  en- 
deavouring to  live  strictly  in  accordance  with  its 
teachings,  so  far  as  they  know  them. 

We  said  farewell  to  Harold  and  his  wife,  expect- 
ing to  leave  the  Post  the  next  morning.  We  were 
baffled  again  in  our  purpose,  for  when  everything 
was  packed  in  the  boat  ready  for  the  start,  a  fog 
settled  down,  compelling  us  to  wait  for  it  to  lift. 
It  was  not  until  the  afternoon  that  it  was  found 
to  be  impossible  to  leave  that  day,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  bring  the  tents  and  other  dunnage 
ashore  and  prepare  to  spend  another  night  at  the 
Post. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  it  became  quite  bright 
and  clear  and  advantage  was  taken  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  get  some  more  photographs.  The 
Eskimo  people  are  always  good  natured  about 
posing  for  a  photo.  On  that  afternoon  several 
excellent  photos  of  the  Eskimo  women  and  children 
were  secured. 

After  this  a  visit  was  paid  to  the  oil  house,  one 
of  the  many  buildings  of  the  Post  that  is  likely 
to  be  of  interest  to  an  outsider.  It  is  a  large 


214  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

frame  structure,  which,  due  to  the  odour  diffused 
therefrom,  might  easily  be  found  by  any  one  not 
possessing  the  sense  of  sight.  The  animal  oil  ob- 
tained from  the  blubber  has  a  very  offensive  odour, 
before  refining,  to  those  not  accustomed  to  it. 

One  end  of  the  building  was  occupied  by  two 
large  cauldrons,  about  which  was  built  a  brick 
furnace.  The  whole  was  surmounted  by  a  huge 
chimney  and  ventilator,  through  which  the  smoke 
and  fumes  from  the  boiling  fat  could  pass.  In  the 
other  end  was  a  large  table  of  planks  upon  which 
the  slabs  of  blubber  were  laid  to  be  cut  into  small 
pieces.  Around  the  room  were  huge  scales  for 
weighing  the  blubber,  the  Eskimos  being  paid 
after  this  reckoning.  Upon  the  rafters  above 
were  reposing  many  kyaks,  harpoons,  and  other 
paraphernalia  which  their  nomad  owners  did  not 
require  at  the  time,  and  with  which  they  would 
not  be  encumbered. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
Great  Whale  River  to  Fort  George 

Y  six  o'clock  on  Tuesday  morning 
we  were  ready  to  weigh  anchor, 
but  Mac  could  not  get  the  engine 
started  until  an  hour  later,  and 
even  then,  it  did  not  run  properly. 
When  several  miles  out  from  the  shore  of  the  Bay 
the  engine  stopped  entirely.  It  seemed  for  a 
time  as  though  the  boat  would  have  to  be  rowed 
ashore,  for  there  was  no  breeze  with  which  to  sail, 
and  a  thick  fog  began  to  settle  around  us.  It  was 
certainly  a  dangerous  predicament  for  there  was 
no  marine  compass  aboard  which  was  reliable 
enough  to  steer  by.  This  condition  of  affairs 
seemed  all  the  more  aggravating,  as  we  had  been 
assured  several  days  before  starting  that  the  boat 
and  engine  were  in  perfect  order. 

Again  Providence  favoured  us.  The  fog  soon 
lifted  and  by  that  time  the  engine  had  been  put 
in  order  so  we  started  forward  immediately. 
The  travelling  continued  good  until  an  island, 
about  eight  miles  from  Sucker  Creek,  was  reached. 
Here  a  thick  fog  again  settled  down  accompanied 
by  drizzling  rain.  To  proceed  was  impossible, 

215 


2i6  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

so  we  anchored  in  a  small  harbour  on  the  east 
side  of  the  island,  but  remained  aboard,  hoping 
that  the  fog  might  lift. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  the  fog  began  to  clear, 
and  a  start  was  made  with  the  intention  of  going 
as  far  as  Sucker  Creek,  but  the  stiff  wind  that  was 
driving  away  the  mist  raised  such  a  heavy  sea, 
it  was  impossible  for  us  to  weather  it,  so  we  re- 
turned to  the  harbour  and  set  up  camp  on  the 
island. 

As  we  had  been  living  principally  on  pancakes 
for  nearly  a  month  and  a  half,  they  were  becoming 
rather  a  monotonous  article  of  diet,  so  the  camp 
being  pitched  early,  one  of  the  party  made  an 
oven,  to  fit  the  top  of  the  stove,  in  which  to  bake 
biscuits.  It  was  made  entirely  from  a  five-gallon 
square  gasoline  can,  and  showed  the  extent  of 
man's  ingenuity  when  in  a  country  devoid  of  the 
conveniences  of  civilization.  This  was  a  time 
when  the  old  adage,  "Necessity  is  the  mother 
of  invention,"  asserted  itself  very  strongly. 

We  were  detained  on  the  island  for  a  day  by 
the  storm.  It  was  evidently  a  much-used  camping 
place,  for  a  supply  of  wood  was  already  collected 
and  many  bones  of  fish  and  fowl  were  lying  about. 
Our  tents  were  set  up  in  a  cozy  nook  on  the  side 
of  a  hill,  and,  although  the  wind  blew  very  strongly, 
it  was  hardly  perceptible  until  we  went  out  into 
the  open. 

The  second  morning  after  our  arrival,  we  were 


GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  217 

able  to  continue  our  journey  after  a  seven  o'clock 
change  of  weather,  which  was  a  very  favourable 
one. 

When  in  the  vicinity  of  Sucker  Creek,  we  noticed 
two  kyaks  some  distance  ahead  of  us  and  well  out 
to  sea.  The  Eskimos  had  already  seen  us  and 
were  paddling  hard  toward  the  shore,  so  as  to 
intercept  us.  They  proved  to  be  some  of  the 
men  from  Husky  Bill's  camp.  We  felt  it  incum- 
bent upon  us  to  stop  and  engage  in  the  usual 
salutations.  Neither  of  the  men  could  speak  a 
word  of  English,  so  we  could  not  exchange  news 
with  them.  Wishing  them  to  have  pleasant 
recollections  of  the  meeting,  we  gave  them  some 
tea  and  a  few  biscuits.  When  we  said  ' l  good-bye  " 
and  proceeded  on  our  way,  they  went  ashore  to 
enjoy  the  "good  things"  with  which  they  had 
been  presented. 

We  passed  Husky  Bill's  camp  at  Little  Cape 
Jones  River,  but  were  too  far  out  to  recognize 
any  people  there.  About  two  o'clock  we  rounded 
Little  Cape  Jones  and  entered  the  Long  Island 
Sound.  The  sun  shone  brightly  and  it  was  an 
ideal  day  for  travelling,  but  no  sooner  had  we 
entered  the  sound  than  the  wind  began  to  rise. 
Only  those  who  have  travelled  in  these  northern 
waters  realize  how  quickly  the  weather  can  change 
and  how  soon  a  craft  may  pass  from  a  condition 
of  safety  to  one  of  great  danger. 

We  went   ahead,   knowing   that   there  was  a 


2i8  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

harbour  somewhere  near  Split  Rock,  a  few  miles 
south  of  Little  Cape  Jones,  in  which  shelter  could 
be  had.  Beyond  this  there  are  no  harbours  until 
the  islands  at  the  southern  end  of  the  sound  are 
reached.  Even  with  good  weather,  the  islands 
could  hardly  be  reached  by  sunset,  consequently 
it  was  highly  important  that  we  should  find  the 
nearby  harbour  and  wait  there  for  quiet  weather 
in  which  to  round  the  Cape.  We  sought  for  it 
diligently  for  an  hour  or  more,  but,  failing  to 
locate  it  in  that  time,  realized  to  our  regret  that 
it  must  have  been  passed. 

It  was  impossible  to  turn  back,  for  the  sea, 
which  was  safe  enough  when  going  with  the  wind, 
was  too  heavy  to  face.  There  was  nothing  we 
could  do  but  proceed  as  quickly  as  possible  and 
endeavour  to  reach  the  islands  before  night.  It 
was  then  that  the  disadvantage  of  having  had  a 
guide  over  this  course  on  the  way  northward  was 
realized  for,  trusting  in  his  ability,  we  had  not 
watched  the  shores  as  carefully  as  at  other  times, 
when  alone. 

The  sky  had  been  cloudless  all  day,  but  as  the 
sun  neared  the  setting,  dark  clouds  rose  and 
covered  it  and  a  fog  began  to  blow  in  from  the 
sea.  Thus  the  darkness  came  much  earlier  than 
was  anticipated  and  we  realized  that  a  favourable 
place  must  be  found  where  the  boat  could  be 
anchored  for  the  night  and  the  camp  set  up. 
Such  a  place  was  very  difficult  to  obtain.  The 


GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  219 

water  bordering  the  mainland  was  very  shallow 
for  quite  a  distance  out  from  the  shore,  making  it 
quite  impossible  to  get  protection  behind  any  of 
the  small  points.  It  soon  became  so  dark  that  it 
was  impossible  to  pick  out  a  course  and  we  often 
found  ourselves  in  the  breakers  over  the  shoals 
that  extended  outward  from  the  mainland  at 
short  intervals. 

At  last,  driven  to  immediate  action,  we  anchored 
to  the  south  of  one  of  the  points  where,  just  by 
chance,  we  had  found  deeper  water  than  had  been 
encountered  so  near  the  shore  elsewhere — about 
six  feet  at  half  tide. 

Once  more  on  shore,  we  felt  deeply  grateful 
to  Providence  for  our  escape  from  such  a  serious 
predicament,  with,  after  all,  but  a  slight  incon- 
venience. It  was  no  easy  job  to  set  up  camp  in 
the  almost  total  darkness.  Luckily,  we  had 
emergency  firewood  and  water  in  the  boat, 
and  thus  were  able  to  prepare  a  much-needed 
meal. 

The  wind  blew  strongly  throughout  the  night, 
and  in  the  morning  was  higher  than  ever.  Al- 
though anxious  to  move  to  a  really  safe  anchorage 
we  were  compelled  to  stay  in  camp  as  the  sea  was 
very  rough  despite  the  fact  that  the  day  was 
beautifully  bright  and  clear. 

With  the  exception  of  the  anchorage,  which 
was  entirely  unprotected,  it  seemed  as  though  we 
were  guided  by  fate  to  a  good  camping  place,  for 


220  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

there  was  plenty  of  fresh  water  and  some  drift- 
wood close  at  hand. 

A  glance  from  the  top  of  a  hill  behind  the  camp 
showed  that  the  islands  we  had  been  endeavouring 
to  reach  were  about  two  miles  to  the  south,  and 
if  we  had  had  daylight  for  a  few  minutes  more, 
they  would  have  been  .reached. 

Little  could  be  done  during  the  day  save  minor 
repairs  on  our  clothing,  so  we  retired  early,  plan- 
ning to  watch  the  boat  during  the  night.  Our 
lot  seemed  hard,  but  we  comforted  ourselves  with 
the  thought  that  as  this  was  Friday  the  thirteenth, 
nothing  better  could  be  expected,  and  that  fol- 
lowing days  would  bring  better  luck. 

The  wind  dropped  during  the  night,  but  veered  in 
the  morning  from  the  north-east  to  the  south-west 
and  blew  a  gale.  This  caused  a  great  increase  in 
the  roughness  of  the  sea,  and  huge  breakers  began 
to  roll  up  the  beach.  The  change  in  the  direction 
of  the  wind  drove  the  boat  nearer  the  shore  during 
the  high  tide,  and  at  low  tide  she  was  aground. 
During  the  lower  stages  of  the  tide,  while  she  was 
yet  afloat,  the  boat  would  be  lifted  up  on  the  crest 
of  a  wave,  and  dashed  with  a  heart-rending  bump 
on  the  boulder-strewn  beach  when  in  the  trough. 

In  the  morning  two  of  the  party  tried  to  reach 
the  boat  in  the  canoe,  but  after  three  trials,  in 
each  of  which  they  were  swamped  by  the  combers 
and  thrown  back  on  the  beach,  they  gave  it  up 
as  an  impossibility.  At  low  tide  they  again  made 


GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  221 

the  attempt  and  this  time  were  successful.  The 
boat  was  found  to  contain  a  large  quantity  of 
water  and  was  bailed  out.  Removing  some  of  the 
valuables,  they  returned  to  shore,  and  as  it  was 
impossible  to  do  anything  for  the  boat  itself,  left 
her  in  the  hands  of  fate,  rather  expecting  to  collect 
her  remains  from  the  beach  in  the  morning. 

The  storm  continued  throughout  the  night. 
The  next  morning  it  was  suggested  that  the  boat 
be  moved  to  a  little  bay,  about  a  mile  southward. 
We  recognized  this  bay  to  be  one  in  which  our 
yacht  had  been  anchored  on  the  previous  trip 
and  thought  that  the  water  might  be  deeper  there 
than  where  the  boat  was  lying.  We  went  along 
the  beach  to  the  bay  to  ascertain  if  such  were 
the  case  and,  also,  to  procure  some  good  logs  for 
firewood,  which  had  been  observed  on  a  former 
walk.  The  water  proved  to  be  no  deeper,  so  it 
was  decided  to  move  the  boat  farther  from  the 
shore,  but  to  leave  her  opposite  the  camp. 

The  engine  being  cold  and  wet,  considerable 
time  would  be  required  to  start  it,  consequently 
Mac  decided  to  pole  her  out  into  deeper  water, 
although  there  was  but  one  other  man  in  the  boat 
to  assist  him.  The  anchor  was  no  sooner  up  than 
the  wind  began  to  drive  the  boat  toward  the 
shore,  despite  the  best  efforts  of  the  pair  to  combat 
the  force  of  the  wind  and  the  waves.  Finally  she 
drifted  among  the  breakers  and  it  was  evident  that 
the  only  way  to  save  her  was  to  haul  her  hard  up 


222  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

on  to  the  beach.  To  leave  her  in  the  breakers 
amongst  the  rocks,  meant  sure  destruction.  She 
was  taken  opposite  a  sandy  place  on  the  beach, 
where  there  were  but  a  few  scattered  boulders, 
and  pulled  up  as  far  as  the  water  would  permit. 

It  was  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
when  the  boat  was  moved,  and  as  the  tide  was 
going  out,  there  would  not  be  deep  enough  water 
to  permit  of  her  being  drawn  up  any  farther  for 
about  six  hours.  This  meant  that  we  would  have 
a  midnight  seance  on  the  beach,  and  even  if  the 
weather  were  favourable  the  next  day  it  would 
not  be  possible  to  take  advantage  of  it  until  twelve 
o'clock,  when  the  tide  would  be  high  again. 

It  seemed  as  if  all  the  elements  of  nature  had 
conspired  to  give  us  a  rough  time  that  night,  for 
not  only  was  it  blowing  hard  but  was  as  dark  as 
Egypt,  and  finally  wound  up  with  a  driving  rain 
and  snow  storm.  We  worked  from  eight  o'clock 
until  half  past  twelve  getting  the  boat  pulled  up 
on  to  the  beach. 

The  experience  was  one  of  the  worst  of  the 
whole  trip.  The  supply  of  firewood  had  become 
very  small,  in  fact  there  was  only  enough  for 
cooking  the  food,  the  last  secured  having  been 
carried  for  about  two  miles  on  our  shoulders,  con- 
sequently we  could  not  even  have  a  fire  to  warm 
our  cold,  wet  hands  and  feet,  when  resting.  The 
work  had  to  be  done  in  almost  total  darkness,  for 
the  lantern  would  not  burn  properly  in  the  wind, 


GREAT  WHALE  RI^ER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  223 

and  finally  a  piece  was  knocked  out  of  the  globe, 
entirely  incapacitating  it  for  further  use. 

In  the  midst  of  it  all  we  kept  up  our  courage 
by  singing  and  trying  to  imagine  we  were  having 
a  good  time.  The  surf  was  very  heavy  and  we 
were  drenched  by  the  spray  from  the  breakers  as 
they  struck  the  boat.  When  all  was  over  a  fire 
was  kindled  and  a  kettle  of  tea  made  to  refresh 
the  tired  party.  The  experiences  of  the  night 
on  that  distant  and  dreary  shore,  so  far  removed 
from  any  other  white  men,  will  not  soon  be  for- 
gotten by  the  members  of  the  party.  Retiring 
with  a  feeling  that  our  craft  was  out  of  danger, 
we  once  more  had  visions  of  landing  safely  in 
Moose  Factory. 

The  next  morning  was  dull-grey,  heavy  rain 
clouds  being  present,  but  the  breeze  was  offshore 
and  light  so  that  the  sea  was  calm.  The  boat 
proved  to  be  in  much  better  condition  than  was 
expected,  a  broken  tiller  rope  being  the  most 
serious  damage  she  had  sustained.  All  repairs 
were  made  in  time  to  launch  her  at  high  tide. 
We  were  off  at  half  past  one.  A  fog  began  to 
settle  just  before  the  start,  but  it  did  not  get  thick 
enough  to  prevent  travelling. 

After  passing  the  islands  at  the  southern  end 
of  the  sound,  there  are  no  other  landmarks  or 
harbours  until  Cape  Jones  is  passed,  and  before 
long  it  was  impossible  to  identify  our  position  on 
the  map.  We  could  not  help  feeling  a  little  anx- 


224  IK  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

ious  about  rounding  the  Cape,  but  hoped  that  on 
account  of  the  late  subsidence  of  the  wind  the 
water  would  be  quiet.  Our  prognostications 
were  not  to  prove  correct,  for  as  the  Cape  was 
approached  leaving  the  shelter  of  the  sound,  the 
waters  were  found  to  be  much  disturbed,  the 
swells  rolling  high. 

Before  long  we  reached  a  perfect  cordon  of 
shoals  extending  far  out  to  sea,  but  were  always 
warned  by  the  surf,  and  were  thus  able  to  avoid 
them.  Point  after  point  would  come  into  view 
and  back  of  them  all  we  could  see  the  high  hills 
of  Cape  Jones,  which  never  seemed  to  get  any 
closer. 

Finally  we  encountered  a  very  swift  current, 
fortunately  in  the  right  direction,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that  before  long  the  Cape  would  be  passed. 
One  of  the  points  that  had  been  looming  up  ahead 
proved  to  be  an  island,  and  as  it  was  approached, 
the  opening  between  it  and  the  mainland  proved 
to  be  so  wide  that  we  knew  the  Cape  was  actually 
rounded,  for  there  are  no  large  islands  after  those 
of  Long  Island  Sound,  until  those  south  of  the 
Cape  are  reached.  We  proceeded  along  amongst 
a  perfect  network  of  shoals,  and  finally  entered  the 
little  harbour  in  which  we  had  anchored  on  the 
way  north.  The  day  was  concluded  most  happily 
by  a  beautiful,  clear  sunset,  an  omen  of  fair 
weather,  we  hoped,  for  the  next  day. 

While  setting  up  the  camp  we  were  visited  by 


GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  225 

our  old  friends,  the  Huskies,  who  brought  us  some 
fine  salmon  trout  and  whitefish.  Our  supper  of 
trout  that  night  was  one  of  the  greatest  feasts  we 
had  during  our  travels.  No  fish  we  had  ever 
tasted  were  quite  as  good  as  these.  Not  only  was 
the  flavour  delicious  but,  it  seemed  to  us,  the 
meat  was  firmer  than  any  we  had  ever  eaten. 

It  was  with  a  feeling  of  great  satisfaction  and 
perfect  safety  we  retired  that  night.  Many  days 
had  passed  since  we  had  had  an  uninterrupted 
night's  sleep,  so  this  respite  was  enjoyed  to  the 
fullest  extent.  In  fact  we  did  not  rise  the  next 
morning  at  the  usual  early  hour  and  it  must  have 
been  nine  o'clock  before  the  anchor  was  weighed. 
The  sky  was  overcast  and  the  morning  somewhat 
chilly. 

The  inside  course  was  taken,  the  one  Joseph 
had  followed,  and  as  the  tide  was  higher  than 
when  we  passed  over  it  with  him,  it  was  not  as 
difficult  to  keep  off  the  shoals. 

Drawing  near  to  Seal  River  we  began  to  make  a 
short  cut  across  some  unprotected  water,  but  as 
the  wind  started  to  rise,  the  course  was  changed 
to  the  lee  side  of  an  island,  opposite  the  mouth 
of  the  river.  From  the  end  of  this  island  a  course 
was  taken  out  to  another  a  couple  of  miles  distant, 
and,  being  chilly  and  hungry,  we  decided  to  land 
on  the  latter  and  have  a  'warm  dinner.  It  proved 
to  be  an  old  camping  place  with  plenty  of  wood 
and  water,  and  in  one  hour  we  had  made  our- 
15 


226  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

selves  a  good  hot  meal,  eaten  it,  and  were  off 
again. 

After  going  about  an  hour,  a  camp  was  sighted 
on  a  long,  low  island,  immediately  off  the  main- 
land. It  was  thought  for  a  time  that  it  might  be 
our  own  men,  who,  having  passed  us,  were  camped 
there  awaiting  a  fair  sailing  wind.  At  a  distance 
the  tents  strongly  resembled  theirs,  but  on  ap- 
proaching them  it  was  found  that  the  number  was 
larger  than  was  required  by  the  party,  and  Indian 
men  and  women  could  be  seen  moving  about  ex- 
citedly, no  doubt  in  anticipation  of  a  visit  from 
us.  These  Indians,  it  was  afterwards  learned, 
were  from  the  Revillon  Post  at  Fort  George  and 
were  on  their  way  to  winter  quarters  at  Sucker 
Creek. 

We  had  quite  a  long  hunt  that  night  for  a  suit- 
able harbour  and  camping  place,  and  the  best 
that  could  be  found  was  a  grassy  spot  on  the  top 
of  a  long,  high  shoal  off  the  entrance  to  Paul  Bay. 
It  was  nearly  dark  when  this  was  located  and  to 
our  regret  there  was  no  water  anywhere  on  the 
elevated  spot.  It  was  low  tide  at  the  time  and 
therefore  possible  to  walk  across  to  another  of 
these  shoal  islands.  Mac  undertook  to  go  over 
there  and  look  for  water  and  returned  in  about 
half  an  hour  with  two  kettlefuls. 

Before  the  tents  were  quite  up,  it  started  to 
rain.  A  supply  of  fuel  was  near,  for  on  the  top 
of  the  shoal  there  was  a  pile  of  driftwood,  con- 


GREAT  WHALE  RIYER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  227 

taining  probably  fifty  cords.  It  rained  hard  all 
night,  and  the  tent,  which  was  now  beginning  to 
be  the  worse  for  wear,  leaked  over  the  bed  and 
robbed  us  of  our  night's  rest. 

The  tide  being  low  the  next  morning,  consider- 
able difficulty  was  experienced  in  getting  out  of 
the  harbour,  which  was  full  of  long  seaweed.  The 
engine  was  not  in  very  good  running  condition, 
so,  in  order  to  take  advantage  of  the  wind,  which 
was  a  fair  one,  we  spread  the  sail,  and  going  south- 
ward, passed  the  mouth  of  Paul  Bay. 

The  wind  rose  gradually  as  the  morning  ad- 
vanced and  the  shallow  sea  became  so  boisterous 
we  thought  it  unsafe  for  travelling  and  ran  into 
a  protected  spot  between  two  islands.  Here  we 
remained  for  a  short  time  in  consultation  as  to 
whether  a  course  should  be  taken  through  the 
Pipestone  Gutway,  or  to  proceed  and  take  chances 
on  the  outside.  It  was  finally  decided  that  if 
we  travelled  at  all  it  was  safer  to  keep  out  to  sea. 
After  a  short  halt,  the  wind  lowered  somewhat, 
so  we  weighed  anchor,  raised  the  sail,  and  started 
out  again.  The  course  was  still  very  shoaly 
although  it  was  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
the  mainland. 

At  midday  it  was  decided  to  take  an  hour  for 
luncheon  and  accordingly  an  effort  was  made  to 
effect  a  landing  on  one  of  the  islands.  It  was 
quite  impossible  to  approach  it  nearer  than  a  mile 
or  so  owing  to  the  shallows.  The  engine  was 


IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 


beginning  to  give  trouble,  and  as  we  were  passing 
over  a  very  shallow  area  in  a  swift  current,  it 
made  us  feel  somewhat  anxious.  Suddenly,  when 
running  amongst  huge  boulders,  it  stopped  com- 
pletely. Immediately  the  poles  were  brought 
into  requisition  to  prevent  a  collision  with  the 
rocks.  The  sail  propelled  the  boat  at  sufficient 
speed  to  give  it  steerageway  and  an  accident  was 
thus  averted.  Soon  after,  the  engine  was  gotten 
into  order  and  gave  no  further  trouble  throughout 
the  afternoon. 

We  were  then  within  a  couple  of  miles  of  a  high, 
red  granite  island,  so  it  was  determined  that  if  it 
were  possible,  a  landing  would  be  made  there  for 
luncheon,  as  it  was  long  past  midday.  It  was 
surrounded  with  deep  water  and  we  were  able  to 
run  the  bow  up  on  a  ledge  and  land  without  the 
use  of  the  canoe.  The  place  chosen  for  the  meal 
was  a  delightful  spot  on  a  rocky  slope,  sheltered 
from  the  wind  and  facing  the  sea  and  the  sun. 
There  was  an  abundance  of  wood  and  fresh  water 
close  at  hand,  and  it  was  but  a  short  time  before 
a  most  enjoyable  repast  was  prepared.  The  meal 
over,  we  were  off  again  within  our  usual  allotted 
time,  one  hour. 

We  were  considerably  relieved  on  coming  around 
the  island  to  see  Wastikon  looming  up  in  the 
distance,  probably  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  off. 
We  steered  for  this  high  landmark  and  kept  it 
as  our  objective  point  until  within  about  three 


GREAT  WHALE  RlfER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  229 

miles  of  it,  when  the  course  was  changed  to  cross 
the  mouth  of  Goose  Bay. 

While  making  this  long  cut  from  land  to  land, 
the  wind  was  gradually  freshening,  but  very  for- 
tunately was  directly  behind  us.  This  was  the 
roughest  sea  we  had  travelled  in  during  our  whole 
trip.  The  boat  was  often  carried  ten  feet  high 
on  the  waves,  but  by  careful  steering,  we  were  able 
to  ride  them  without  any  serious  consequences. 
Although  becoming  well  used  to  such  experiences, 
we  certainly  felt  more  comfortable  when  travel- 
ling on  a  less  boisterous  sea.  It  would  have  been 
quite  impossible  to  have  weathered  this  gale  had 
we  been  going  in  the  opposite  direction. 

An  unsuccessful  effort  was  made  to  find  Strom- 
ness  Harbour,  the  place  where  so  many  days  had 
been  spent  when  going  northward.  Two  islands 
were  passed,  on  one  of  which  were  camped  about 
twenty  Indians,  who  were  on  their  way  north  to 
their  hunting  grounds.  Joseph,  the  Bishop's 
guide,  was  one  of  the  party. 

We  were  strongly  impelled  to  drop  the  anchor 
and  go  ashore  on  one  of  the  islands,  but  being 
only  four  or  five  miles  from  Fort  George,  the 
prospect  of  camping  again  on  this  old  favourite 
spot  was  an  impetus  for  us  to  push  forward, 
despite  the  roughness  of  the  water. 

We  expected  to  reach  the  mouth  of  the  river 
by  six  o'clock,  sunset,  and  kept  up  to  schedule 
time.  The  sun  was  setting  as  the  river  was 


230  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

entered.  The  tide  was  going  out  and  the  current 
was  very  strong.  There  was  a  slight  wind  behind 
us  so  we  took  advantage  of  it  by  spreading  the 
second  sail.  With  all  the  motive  power  brought 
into  action,  it  took  us  fully  an  hour  to  cover  the 
distance  between  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  the 
Post. 

The  noise  of  the  engine  had  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  the  people,  and  when  we  came  within 
seeing  distance  the  Indians  were  gathering  on 
the  banks.  By  the  time  the  pier  was  reached  all 
the  Post  officers  and  Indians  had  assembled  to 
give  us  a  welcome.  The  boat  was  run  on  to  the 
sandy  beach  and  the  Indians  and  officers  gathered 
around  us,  anxious  to  get  the  particulars  of  our 
trip. 

We  were  not  allowed  to  do  anything.  All  the 
dunnage  was  carried  up  to  the  Post  ground,  the 
tents  and  stoves  set  up,  and  wood  sufficient  for  a 
couple  of  days  was  cut.  The  cordial  reception 
by  the  people  was  appreciated,  as  were  their 
expressions  of  anxiety  for  our  welfare,  owing  to 
our  long  delay  in  returning.  One  of  the  retired 
Indian  servants  told  us  afterward,  in  a  very  con- 
fidential way,  that  he  was  "very  dubious"  about 
our  return. 

To  our  regret,  Mr.  Griffith  was  away,  but  Mr. 
Alec.  Luttit  was  in  charge  of  the  Post,  with  instruc- 
tions to  assist  us  in  every  manner  possible.  The 
Factor  had  gone  to  Charlton  shortly  after  our 


GREAT  WHALE  RIVER  TO  FORT  GEORGE  231 

departure  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  from 
Montreal.  Mr.  Walton  had  also  left  with  his 
family,  en  route  for  England,  by  way  of  the  Moose 
and  Abitibi  rivers. 

An  addition  had  been  made  to  the  personnel 
of  the  Revillon  Post,  in  the  person  of  Mrs.  Blais, 
who  had  come  from  Montreal,  on  the  Adventure, 
the  Revillon  steamer,  which  arrived  at  Strutton 
early  in  August,  where  she  was  met  by  her  husband. 

As  our  food  supply  was  almost  exhausted,  we 
had  hoped  to  replenish  it  immediately  on  our 
arrival,  but  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  was 
entirely  out  of  provisions,  and  as  it  was  a  mile  to 
the  Revillon  store,  it  was  decided  to  put  up  with 
another  scrap  meal  and  get  to  bed  as  soon  as 
possible. 

We  had  to  await  the  departure  of  our  many 
callers,  who  were  all  very  kind  in  giving  us  such 
news  as  they  had  received  from  the  lower  part  of 
the  Bay,  and  were  equally  interested  in  the  details 
of  our  trip  to  the  North. 

When  at  last  we  retired  it  was  with  feelings  of 
thankfulness  to  Providence,  whose  many  mercies 
had  brought  us  this  far  south  in  safety,  through 
such  dangerous  experiences. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
Fort  George 

]HEN  leaving  Clark  Island,  we  ex- 
pected to  take  a  one-hundred-mile 
trip  up  the  Big  River,  and  pro- 
mised Mr.  Strong  not  to  leave 
Fort  George  for  the  South  until  he 
arrived  there.  On  reaching  that  Post,  owing  to 
the  many  delays  met  with,  it  was  found  too  late 
to  undertake  a  trip  up  the  river. 

The  boat  engine  had  to  be  completely  over- 
hauled, and  while  that  was  being  done,  the  hull 
was  to  be  painted.  When  the  repairs  and  the 
painting  were  finished,  we  hoped  to  start  for 
the  South,  providing  Mr.  Strong  and  his  party 
had  arrived,  otherwise,  we  must  await  their 
coming. 

The  days  passed  swiftly  by  and  soon  our  boat 
was  ready,  but  the  York  boat  had  not  appeared. 
Although  impatient  at  so  long  a  delay,  we  deter- 
mined to  make  the  best  of  it,  and  get  as  much 
enjoyment  out  of  our  stay  as  possible.  It  seemed 
that  in  consideration  of  all  we  had  undergone  in 
the  way  of  bad  weather  and  rough,  slow  travelling, 
no  comfort  or  pleasure  was  too  great  for  us, 

232 


FORT  GEORGE  233 


The  weather  was  delightful,  the  most  beautiful 
of  all  our  trip.  On  the  night  of  the  twenty-first 
of  September,  the  first  frost  of  the  season  occurred, 
and  the  ground  was  white  the  next  morning.  Up 
to  this  time  the  weather  had  been  so  bright  and 
warm  that  we  preferred  to  eat  our  meals  out  on 
the  grass  rather  than  stay  inside  and  be  exposed 
to  the  heat  of  the  stove. 

Every  day  Mr.  Griffith  was  expected  back,  and 
it  was  no  infrequent  sight  to  see  some  of  the 
Indians  on  top  of  the  Factor's  house,  telescope 
in  hand,  looking  for  a  first  glimpse  of  his  boat, 
The  Pride. 

It  was  also  on  the  twenty-first  of  September,  the 
day  of  the  fall  equinox,  that  a  boat  was  seen  enter- 
ing the  river  which  was  at  first  thought  to  be  our 
York  boat,  but  it  proved  to  be  one  of  the  Company's 
boats  returning  from  Charlton.  It  was  not  The 
Pride,  so  it  was  quite  evident  that  the  steamer 
from  Montreal  had  not  arrived.  The  returned 
boat  with  its  crew  had  been  awaiting  the  coming 
of  the  ship  with  provisions  for  over  a  month,  and 
had  come  back  with  some  that  they  had  gotten 
from  one  of  the  other  Posts  in  the  south  of  the 
Bay,  where  larger  stocks  are  always  kept,  since 
it  was  feared  the  ship  had  met  with  some  mishap. 

The  crew  were  welcomed  with  all  the  enthusiasm 
that  had  been  noticed  on  previous  occasions  among 
these  people,  but  the  joy  of  the  home-coming 
was  turned  to  dismay,  for  they  brought  news  of  a 


234  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

scarcity  of  provisions  at  all  the  Posts,  and  worst 
of  all,  a  famine  of  ammunition. 

The  situation  was  a  serious  one.  The  time  for 
the  return  of  the  hunters  to  the  hunting  grounds, 
with  their  winter's  provisions,  was  long  past. 
Not  an  ounce  of  ammunition  could  be  bought  at 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  store,  and  yet  many 
families,  whose  food  for  the  coming  winter  de- 
pended on  it,  had  been  anxiously  waiting  a  whole 
month  for  a  supply.  The  men,  women,  and 
children  gathered  in  little  groups  about  the  mem- 
bers of  the  boat  crew,  asking  questions  and  gravely 
discussing  the  situation. 

Judging  from  past  experiences,  we  had  antici- 
pated some  fine  sunsets  during  our  stay  at  Fort 
George,  and  were  not  disappointed.  The  location 
of  the  Post  at  a  point  on  the  river,  giving  an  un- 
interrupted view  of  the  sea  to  the  west,  offered 
the  best  conditions  for  viewing  a  sunset  at  this 
time  of  the  year. 

In  the  evening  after  the  excitement  attending 
the  arrival  of  the  boat  had  quieted  down,  our 
expectations  were  fully  realized  in  the  sunset. 
As  the  blazing  orb  sank  into  the  western  sea,  to 
quench  its  fiery  radiance  in  the  glittering  water, 
banks  of  fluffy,  white  clouds,  hovering  above,  were 
lit  up  with  a  gorgeous  glow,  and  by  their  forms, 
so  realistic,  one  was  drawn  into  the  realm  of  Greek 
mythology  and  pictured  Dawn  being  led  forth  to 
earth  by  the  gods  of  Olympus. 


FORT  GEORGE  235 


The  green  of  the  spruce-lined  river  banks, 
mingled  with  the  brilliant  autumnal  colours  of 
the  other  foliage,  was  brightened  by  the  soft  rays. 
The  old  post  buildings  with  their  weather  beaten 
coatings  of  paint  were  imbued  with  an  air  of 
warmth  and  comfort.  The  sombre  wigwam,  with 
the  smoke  lazily  curling  upward,  gave  a  sense 
of  remoteness  from  modern  architectural  achieve- 
ment, while  the  Indian  women,  paddling  quietly 
in  their  canoes  toward  camp,  returning  with  the 
reward  of  their  afternoon  visit  to  the  nets,  added 
life  to  the  impressive  picture. 

Another  day  had  passed  and  our  men  had  not 
yet  arrived,  but  we  believed  they  must  be  some- 
where near  at  hand  awaiting  a  favourable  wind, 
for  it  had  blown  in  a  contrary  direction  throughout 
the  day. 

As  the  following  day  would  be  Sunday,  it  was 
decided  to  set  up  the  large  silk  tent,  it  having 
been  fully  repaired  at  the  Post.  Sunday  brought 
a  warm,  driving  rain  from  the  south,  and  we  were 
thankful  that  all  our  provisions  and  clothing  had 
been  brought  into  a  clean,  roomy  shelter,  which 
with  the  help  of  a  canvas  fly  was  reasonably 
waterproof. 

We  had  been  troubled  by  our  old  enemies,  the 
Husky  dogs,  ever  since  our  arrival  but  during  the 
first  night  in  the  big  tent  were  not  molested  by 
them,  having  taken  the  utmost  precaution  against 
them,  knowing  that  they  were  hungry  and  likely 


236  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

to  eat  anything.  In  fact,  they  had  already  eaten 
a  pair  of  sealskin  boots  and  about  fifty  feet  of 
sealskin  line  that  we  had  innocently  left  unguarded 
in  the  tent. 

One  box  of  provisions  had  been  left  in  the  old 
tent,  a  case  of  tinned  meats,  without  suspicion 
that  the  dogs  would  molest  it.  We  were  soon  to 
learn  our  mistake  for  on  the  following  night  a 
crash  followed  by  howls  and  other  sounds  of 
battle  announced  the  fact  that  the  canned  goods 
was  a  prize  in  a  tooth  and  claw  tournament. 
The  box  was  removed  by  one  of  the  party  and  a 
few  stones  hurled  at  the  canine  adventurers,  who 
slunk  off  into  the  darkness  to  await  a  better 
opportunity  for  pillage. 

We  had  just  gotten  comfortably  settled  in  our 
blankets,  when  behold!  a  tear  in  the  corner  of 
the  tent,  caused  by  its  flapping  in  the  wind,  was 
suddenly  enlarged  and  admitted  a  dog.  We 
were  on  him  in  an  instant,  beating  him  with  boots 
and  clubs,  but  like  his  kind,  he  only  lay  down  flat 
and  voiced  that  weird,  wolflike  howl,  until  our 
ears  were  well-nigh  deafened,  and  we  let  him  out 
through  the  tent  flap. 

This  was  but  the  beginning  of  an  all-night 
seance.  The  next  dog  entered  through  the  same 
hole,  but  was  too  quick  for  us  and  jumped  through 
the  other  side  of  the  tent.  We  filled  up  the  new 
hole  with  flour  bags,  boxes,  etc.,  but  were  unable 
to  keep  out  the  intruders,  who  maintained  a  steady 


FORT  GEORGE  237 


invasion  throughout  the  night,  and  practically 
ruined  the  tent. 

The  following  three  days  were  without  inci- 
dent. The  weather  was  warm  but  cloudy,  and 
the  wind  continued  to  blow  from  the  south,  a  most 
disheartening  fact,  for  there  was  no  possible  chance 
of  the  York  boat  making  progress.  The  Post 
people  were  most  kind,  and  hardly  a  day  passed 
without  at  least  one  gift  of  some  dainty  being 
received.  Fine  rich  milk  and  even  thick  cream, 
from  the  Post  dairy,  added  flavour  to  pails  of 
beautiful  raspberries  and  blueberries,  which  the 
children  brought  us.  Fresh  butter  was  also 
given  us,  enough  and  to  spare,  and  presents  of 
fish  and  wild  fowl  were  frequently  received  from 
the  Indians. 

A  good  example  of  the  gratitude  of  these  natives 
occurred  during  our  stay  at  Fort  George.  An 
Indian  baby  had  been  bitten  by  a  dog.  Since 
the  departure  of  the  Factor  and  the  Missionary, 
there  had  been  no  one  at  the  Post  who  knew  any- 
thing about  medicine,  but  believing  that  all  white 
men  had  such  knowledge,  they  begged  us  to  come 
and  see  the  child.  Gathering  the  medicine  kit, 
some  soap,  a  wash  basin,  and  a  clean  towel  together, 
we  proceeded  to  make  our  first  professional  call. 

It  was  in  a  large  wigwam,  full  twenty  feet  in 
diameter  and  connected  with  a  similar  one  by  a 
passage  made  of  an  A- tent  with  the  ends  removed. 
The  floor  was  beautifully  clean  and  covered  with 


238  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

freshly  cut  boughs.  In  the  centre  was  an  open  fire, 
over  which  a  kettle  of  water  was  boiling.  Grouped 
around  the  fire  were  about  twenty  men,  women, 
and  children,  some  languidly  smoking  their  pipes, 
while  others  were  busy  at  their  sewing  or  other 
handicrafts. 

The  injury  to  the  child  proved  not  to  be  serious, 
and  after  carefully  washing  and  dressing  the 
wound,  through  which  painful  operation  the  child, 
scarcely  three  years  old,  never  whimpered,  we  re- 
turned to  our  tent. 

During  our  absence  a  dog  entered  the  tent,  and 
although  pursued  by  some  of  the  Indians,  escaped 
with  a  freshly  roasted  duck,  which  had  been 
cooked  for  the  dinner.  The  father  of  the  child, 
upon  hearing  this,  brought  us  a  fine  wavy  (a 
species  of  goose)  and  insisted  that  we  take  it, 
despite  the  fact  that  we  realized  how  low  his  supply 
of  provisions  really  was.  The  half-breeds  advised 
us  to  take  the  gift,  for  to  refuse,  they  said,  would 
be  an  insult  to  the  giver,  so  we  acquiesced  re- 
luctantly, much  impressed  with  the  gratitude  of 
the  poor  fellow. 

On  the  morning  of  Tuesday,  September  the 
twenty-seventh,  we  were  awakened  by  a  fearful 
flapping  of  the  tent,  the  howling  of  the  wind  in 
the  nearby  bush,  and  the  swish  of  breakers  as 
they  rolled  up  on  the  beach  behind  us.  The 
latter  was  an  unmistakable  sign  that  a  strong  west 
wind  was  blowing  in  from  the  Bay,  Our  fears 


FORT  GEORGE  239 


for  the  safety  of  the  boat  were  immediately 
aroused.  Hastily  dressing  and  calling  to  Mac  to 
do  the  same,  we  rushed  down  to  the  beach. 

The  Company's  sailboats  had  been  removed 
soon  after  the  wind  arose,  and  anchored  in  safety 
around  the  bend  of  the  river.  Our  little  boat  was 
pitching  and  tossing  about  on  the  waves,  but  the 
anchor  was  holding  well.  It  was  evident  that  it 
would  be  necessary  to  move  her  for  the  swift  cur- 
rent was  forcing  her  to  meet  the  waves  stern  on, 
and  she  was  in  danger  of  taking  water  if  the  storm 
increased. 

At  the  last  minute  before  starting  out  to  the 
boat,  we  found  that  the  dogs  had  eaten  the  leather 
tow-line  of  the  canoe.  There  was  only  a  short 
piece  of  old  rope  near  at  hand,  but  time  being 
precious  we  decided  to  trust  to  it. 

The  trip  out  to  the  boat  was  accomplished  safely, 
and,  on  Mac's  recommendation,  we  spread  the 
sail,  lifted  the  anchor,  and  tried  to  sail  up  the  river. 
The  wind  drove  the  canoe  faster  than  the  boat, 
and  then  turned  it  side-on  to  the  waves.  It  was 
immediately  swamped,  and  breaking  away  from 
the  boat,  drifted  down  the  river.  It  was  too  late 
to  turn  back,  and  in  the  meantime  the  engine 
was  started,  so  we  proceeded  to  the  anchoring 
place.  Fortunately,  there  was  a  jollyboat,  which 
was  used  for  moving  hay  on  the  beach,  so  we  ran 
ashore  and  launched  it  as  a  tender,  anchored  our 
boat,  and  returned  to  the  beach  in  it.  There  we 


240  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

were  met  by  an  excited  group  of  women,  who  had 
tramped  half  a  mile  from  the  Post  through  the 
wet  bushes  to  see  if  we  were  safe  and  to  tell  us 
the  canoe  had  been  rescued. 

No  one  saw  us  leave  the  Post,  but  some  had 
seen  the  swamped  canoe  floating  down  the  river 
and  feared  we  had  been  in  it  when  the  accident 
had  occurred.  Hastily  gathering  twelve  men 
together,  they  launched  one  of  the  huge  freight- 
ing canoes,  and  carrying  out  a  line,  attached  it  to 
the  derelict  and  towed  her  to  shore.  It  was  just 
such  acts  as  these  that  showed  the  kindly  interest 
that  these  people  have  in  the  welfare  of  their 
brother-man,  an  attribute  that  the  people  of  our 
great  cities  might  well  acquire  to  their  credit. 

It  was  with  a  feeling  of  relief  that  we  sighted  a 
square-rigged  boat  entering  the  river  on  the  morn- 
ing of  Saturday,  September  the  twenty-eighth, 
and  realized  that  it  could  be  none  other  than  our 
own  York  boat.  The  fresh,  west  breeze  brought 
it  slowly  but  surely  up  the  river,  and  about  eleven 
o'  clock  the  parties  were  once  more  united. 

The  York  boat  had  left  Clark  Island  on  Septem- 
ber the  eighth,  one  week  after  our  departure,  and 
since  then  the  party  had  had  many  exciting  experi- 
ences. They  were  all  well  but  uneasy,  owing  to 
the  continued  delays,  due  to  heavy,  unfavourable 
winds,  and  the  rapidly  approaching  winter. 

The  crew  of  the  York  boat  were  very  anxious 
that  we  should  accompany  them  on  the  balance 


FORT  GEORGE  241 

of  the  journey.  This  we  considered  unwise,  for 
it  would  be  necessary  to  remain  at  the  Eastmain 
River  for  some  time,  while  the  other  motor  boat 
was  being  put  in  order.  Hence  we  planned  to 
start  for  the  South  the  following  morning,  should 
the  weather  permit,  and  that  the  others  should 
follow  at  the  first  opportunity. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
Fort  George  to  Eastmain  River 

)UNDAY  morning,  September  the 
twenty-ninth,  was  dark  and  cloudy. 
The  breeze,  although  light,  blew 
from  the  south  and  was  accom- 
panied by  snow  flurries.  We  were 
determined  to  start,  so,  after  all  arrangements 
with  the  other  party  had  been  completed,  our 
journey  was  resumed  about  eleven  o'clock,  in 
the  face  of  a  driving  snow  flurry. 

As  the  Bay  was  approached  the  storm  grew  so 
bad  it  was  impossible  to  find  the  course,  so  we  had 
to  put  into  a  little  harbour  close  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river. 

From  a  high  rocky  knoll  we  watched  the  sea 
and  finally  decided  to  make  a  dash  for  Loon  Island 
during  a  lull  in  the  storm.  This  island  was  the 
location  of  the  original  wholesale  house  of  the 
Revillon  Freres,  and  offered  good  protection  for 
the  boat,  wood  and  water  in  plenty.  From  it, 
the  weather  conditions  on  the  Bay  could  be  better 
observed  than  in  the  protected  river  mouth. 

The  most  direct  route  to  Loon  Island  lay  be- 
tween the  islands  off  the  river  mouth  and  over  a 

242 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  EASTMAIN  RlfER  243 

very  shoaly  area,  but  time  being  precious  it  was 
decided  to  attempt  that  course. 

One  of  the  party  took  a  position  on  the  fore- 
deck  with  a  twelve-foot  pole  in  hand,  to  sound  for 
the  channel  and  ward  off  from  any  rocks  should 
collision  be  threatened.  It  was  a  tortuous  channel, 
but  was  followed  without  mishap.  The  sea  was 
very  rough  and  at  times  the  snowstorm  completely 
enveiled  the  course,  but  eventually,  half  frozen, 
we  entered  the  quiet  waters  of  Loon  harbour, 
and  anchored  in  front  of  the  old  warehouse  build- 
ing, which  was  still  standing. 

The  island  is  of  rock,  bare  of  vegetation  except 
moss  and  cranberry  bushes,  with  grass  on  a  few 
sandy  spots.  The  camp  was  set  up  on  a  bed  of 
thick  moss  at  the  rear  of  the  wholesale  house. 
This  was  the  exact  spot  on  which  the  camp  of 
the  Inspector,  Mr.  Draulette,  was  located,  when 
we  met  him  and  his  wife  for  the  first  time  on  our 
previous  visit.  The  Post  was  then  in  charge  of 
Mr.  Romany,  who  had  an  Eskimo  for  his  assistant. 
This  native  was  a  clever  fellow,  and  as  he  was  the 
first  we  had  ever  seen,  he  gave  us  a  very  good 
impression  of  his  people,  one  in  fact  that  has  never 
changed. 

The  weather  continued  stormy  for  the  next  two 
days,  and  frequent  visits  were  made  to  the  highest 
point  of  the  island,  on  which  the  old  ship's  beacon 
was  still  standing,  to  watch  for  signs  of  improve- 
ment. It  was  with  much  disappointment  that 


244  W  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

we  awoke  each  morning  to  find  that  the  wind  was 
still  blowing  hard  from  the  contrary  direction. 

On  the  morning  of  Tuesday,  October  the  first, 
the  wind  had  subsided  sufficiently  for  us  to  attempt 
the  continuation  of  our  journey,  consequently 
we  were  up  before  daylight  and  were  ready  to 
start  shortly  after  sunrise. 

It  was  with  the  greatest  care  that  we  chose  our 
course  southward  amongst  the  many  islands  and 
shoals  bordering  the  coast.  Fortunately,  the 
passage  was  made  without  mishap.  When  the 
islands  of  Aquatuk  Bay  were  reached,  the  sky 
became  very  black  and  it  was  evident  that  a 
heavy  snowstorm  was  approaching.  Not  having 
a  reliable  ship's  compass,  we  kept  within  safe 
distance  of  the  islands. 

Soon  the  storm  was  upon  us,  the  snow  nearly 
blinding  us,  for  it  drove  straight  into  our  faces, 
making  it  almost  impossible  to  follow  the  course. 
Rounding  the  point  of  Earthquake  Island,  it  was 
decided  to  stop  for  dinner,  and  await  further  de- 
velopments, for  travelling  in  a  driving  snowstorm 
did  not  appeal  to  us  as  being  either  safe  or  pleasant. 
The  island  derives  its  peculiar  name  from  a  legend 
of  the  Indians,  which  says  that  during  a  battle 
between  the  native  Crees  and  invading  Iroquois 
the  earth  trembled  with  the  shock  of  their  en- 
counter. 

After  a  stay  of  about  an  hour  the  weather 
cleared  up  beautifully,  although  the  wind  con- 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIVER  245 

tinned  to  blow  hard  from  a  fair  direction.  We 
decided  to  try  the  sea,  and  setting  out,  found  it 
to  be  quite  safe.  The  sail  was  spread  and  a  fine 
afternoon  of  travelling  began. 

About  half  past  three  o'clock  the  topmast  of  a 
boat  approaching  from  the  south  was  sighted  to 
seaward.  As  she  drew  nearer,  it  was  evident  that 
her  crew  had  seen  us  and  were  trying  to  head  us 
off,  which  she  finally  succeeded  in  doing  midway 
between  Grey  Goose  and  Comb  Hills  islands. 
She  proved  to  be  The  Pride,  with  Mr.  Griffith, 
his  wife  and  child,  and  the  crew  aboard.  After  a 
short  conversation,  which,  owing  to  the  wind 
and  the  roughness  of  the  water,  was  held  with 
considerable  difficulty,  we  accepted  an  invitation 
to  turn  about  and  accompany  them  to  a  harbour 
about  two  miles  to  the  north,  there  to  camp 
together  for  the  night. 

The  evening  will  be  long  remembered.  We 
were  entertained  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Griffith  at  a 
fine  supper  of  stewed  goose,  after  which  we  talked 
long  into  the  night,  for  each  party  had  much  to 
tell.  The  most  important  news  from  the  South 
was  that  the  steamer  Nascopie  had  arrived  at  last, 
with  a  full  cargo  aboard.  The  news  of  the  arrival 
of  the  ship  Beoihic  with  the  North  Railway  en- 
gineers aboard,  and  the  schooner  with  the  provi- 
sions for  the  hydographic  party  at  Rupert  House, 
was  also  interesting. 

The  Pride  with  her  party  was  off  early  the  next 


246  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

morning,  for  they  had  a  fair  wind  and  were  deter- 
mined to  reach  Fort  George  with  it,  if  possible. 
As  the  wind  seemed  light  we  started  also,  although 
it  was  against  us. 

Once  outside,  the  weather  proved  different  than 
anticipated,  for  the  sea  was  very  rough,  but  we 
kept  going  for  about  an  hour  until  nearing  Comb 
Hills  Islands,  when  the  wind  increased  in  violence 
and  the  sea  grew  so  wild  it  became  necessary  to 
find  a  harbour  and  anchor  until  the  storm,  which 
was  steadily  increasing,  had  ceased. 

It  was  difficult  finding  a  harbour,  for  the  sea 
was  rolling  up  in  great  breakers  along  the  shore, 
which  everywhere  seemed  shoaly,  thus  prohibiting 
a  landing  on  the  unprotected  side,  while  on  the 
protected  side,  there  was  not  deep  enough  water 
to  give  a  safe  anchorage.  At  last  a  place  was 
found,  protected  by  a  narrow  arm  of  the  outside 
island,  which  had  safe  water  inside,  but  whose 
entrance  was  narrow  and  dangerous. 

The  island  offered  a  good  site  for  a  camp,  for 
although  it  was  treeless,  a  clump  of  Arctic  willows 
provided  protection  for  the  tent.  Between  the 
camping  ground  and  the  water  lay  an  obstacle, 
which  proved  to  be  one  of  the  worst  we  had  en- 
countered at  any  camp.  It  consisted  of  a  strip 
of  soft  muck  and  slippery,  slime-covered  boulders, 
forming  the  beach,  the  slope  of  which  was  so 
gradual  that  when  the  tide  was  in,  it  was  impossible 
to  float  a  canoe,  if  loaded  at  all,  without  wading 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIYER  247 

for  yards  in  the  mud.  By  the  time  we  had  carried 
all  the  equipment  for  the  camp  across  this  stretch 
we  were  glad  to  lie  down  on  the  soft  moss  beyond 
to  rest. 

There  was  an  almost  inexhaustible  supply  of 
wood  scattered  along  the  beach,  and  water  in 
abundance  in  shallow  pools  on  the  rocks  behind 
the  camp. 

The  wind  continued  from  the  south  throughout 
the  afternoon  and  evening.  The  following  day 
proved  sunny,  but  the  wind  still  blew  from  the 
same  quarter.  Shortly  after  sundown  it  grew 
cloudy  and  there  were  brilliant  flashes  of  lightning 
accompanied  by  distant  thunder. 

The  wind  veered  during  the  night,  growing 
stronger,  but  blowing  from  a  more  protected  quar- 
ter of  the  harbour,  and  a  heavy  rain  set  in.  The 
weather  continued  stormy  throughout  the  follow- 
ing day  and  offered  many  spectacular  scenes,  as 
the  huge  breakers  dashed  high  on  the  little  White 
Bear  Island,  and  other  rocks  and  shoals  exposed 
to  the  violence  of  the  sea. 

By  this  time,  the  days  were  so  short,  it  seriously 
curtailed  the  distance  that  could  be  accomplished 
by  daylight  in  the  best  of  weather.  It  was  there- 
fore planned  not  to  stop  any  more  for  the  midday 
meal,  and  thus  make  use  of  every  available  hour  of 
daylight,  since  it  was  already  our  practice  to  be 
ready  to  sail  at  sunrise  if  possible.  To  this  end 
we  took  advantage  of  the  delays  to  prepare  such 


248  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

food  as  might  be  used  without  heating,  and  on 
this  occasion  made  good  use  of  the  tin  oven  for 
that  purpose. 

It  was  on  the  Comb  Hills  Islands  we  got  the 
first  sight  of  the  migrating  flocks  of  wild  geese,  an 
omen  of  the  approaching  winter  season. 

By  the  following  morning  the  storm  had  sub- 
sided, but  the  sky  was  still  very  threatening  and 
there  was  a  heavy  roll  on  the  sea.  However, 
about  ten  o'clock  we  determined  to  make  a  start. 
No  one  realized  how  rough  the  sea  was  until  we 
got  out  and  recognized  our  old  enemies,  the 
"humps,"  looming  up  against  the  sky-line.  It 
was  on  occasions  like  this  that  the  diminutiveness 
of  our  boat  was  apparent,  and  it  often  seemed 
strange  that  she  did  not  go  under,  rather  than 
over,  the  great  swells. 

As  the  day  advanced  the  weather  improved,  and 
the  water  grew  calmer.  Nothing  of  note  occurred 
until  we  reached  Loon  Point,  which  projects  into 
the  sea,  a  few  miles  north  of  Paint  Hills  Islands. 
This  locality  is  very  shoaly  and  we  had  consider- 
able trouble  in  picking  our  way  over  it  on  the 
northward  journey. 

Nearing  the  shoals  we  observed  a  canoe,  with 
several  Indians  aboard,  putting  out  toward  us  from 
the  shore,  and  awaited  their  approach.  Coming 
alongside  the  boat,  they  made  us  understand  by 
signs,  for  they  could  not  speak  English,  that  the 
place  was  a  dangerous  one  and  they  wished  to 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  EASTMAIN  RlfER  249 

pilot  us  through  the  channel.  This  was  readily 
assented  to  and  the  wheel  surrendered  to  the 
elder  of  the  party. 

The  contortions  our  pilot  performed  were  most 
amusing.  He  assumed  the  wheel  with  an  air  of 
as  much  importance  as  if  he  were  taking  the 
Mauretania  past  the  bars  at  Sandy  Hook.  Grasp- 
ing the  wheel  with  both  hands,  and  bracing  himself 
as  if  to  withstand  some  sudden  shock,  he  would 
bring  her  sharply  around  to  port  and  then,  in- 
stantly changing,  drive  her  hard  to  the  starboard. 
It  is  safe  to  say  that  within  the  ensuing  six  miles, 
the  boat  travelled  twelve. 

The  Indians  brought  us  across  the  shoals  in 
safety,  never  touching  bottom,  and  after  passing 
through  the  tortuous  course  amongst  the  Paint 
Hills  Islands,  the  craft  was  anchored  in  a  well 
protected  harbour  with  deep  water.  Here  there 
was  a  most  beautiful  camping  ground  a  short 
distance  from  the  shore,  and  wood  and  water 
were  plentiful. 

On  our  arrival  the  Indians  proceeded  to  build 
a  big  camp-fire  and  cut  boughs  for  our  beds.  In 
order  to  remunerate  them  for  their  unsolicited 
services,  which  on  account  of  that  fact  were  doubly 
appreciated,  we  gave  them  a  six-pound  can  of 
boiled  beef,  a  loaf  of  bread,  and  some  tea.  These 
now  constituted  our  principal  provisions,  and 
while  the  gift  could  hardly  be  compared  to  the 
1  'widow's  mite,"  it  was  practically  all  we  could 


250  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

spare.  These  people  had  been  so  thoughtful  and 
kind,  we  felt  that  nothing  was  too  good  for  them, 
but  unfortunately  there  was  no  sugar  for  their 
tea,  undoubtedly  a  great  disappointment  to  them, 
as  sugar  is  their  greatest  luxury.  Our  supply  of 
this  commodity  had  been  exhausted  several  days 
before. 

We  had  expected  the  gift  would  last  our  pilots 
for  a  couple  of  days,  but  to  our  surprise,  the  whole 
of  it  was  consumed  for  their  evening  meal. 

Their  hunger  appeased,  as  night  was  closing 
down;  they  slipped  their  canoe  into  the  water, 
shook  hands  with  us,  and  were  soon  lost  to  view 
around  the  point  of  the  island. 

The  following  day,  we  were  up  and  ready  to  go 
by  five  o'clock,  but  with  the  coming  of  daylight 
a  heavy  rain  and  blow  set  in,  compelling  us  to 
remain  in  camp  for  the  day.  In  the  afternoon 
the  storm  shifted  from  the  east  to  the  north,  the 
rain  gave  place  to  a  driving  snowstorm,  and  the 
sea  became  very  wild.  We  were  indeed  thankful 
that  the  boat  was  in  a  well-protected  harbour 
and  that  the  camp  was  a  comfortable  one. 

The  weather  continued  stormy  until  the  after- 
noon of  the  second  day,  when  it  began  to  clear  up. 
As  the  wind  had  almost  blown  the  tent  down,  we 
decided  to  take  it  down  and  set  it  up  in  the  lee 
of  a  large  cliff,  convenient  to  the  beach,  where  it 
would  be  better  sheltered  from  the  chilling  north 
winds. 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  EASTMAIN  RWER  251 

Throughout  our  stay  at  the  Paint  Hills  Islands 
huge  flocks  of  geese  were  seen  on  their  way  south- 
ward. Many  of  these  flocks  apparently  intended 
to  alight  on  the  island,  but  seeing  the  tents,  they 
would  turn  in  their  course  and  fly  to  another  of 
the  group,  where  freedom  from  gunshot  was  more 
certain. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  day,  the  clouds  lifted 
and  the  sun  shone  forth,  bright  and  warm,  and 
with  the  setting  of  the  sun  the  wind  went  down, 
and  we  retired  for  the  night,  fully  determined,  if 
the  weather  continued  favourable,  to  start  by 
daylight  the  next  morning. 

In  accordance  with  our  plans,  everything  was 
aboard  the  boat  and  we  were  ready  to  start  by 
daylight,  but  the  engine  balked  and  delayed  us 
until  long  after  sunrise.  The  weather  was  fine 
and  we  started  out  full  of  hope  for  an  uninter- 
rupted day's  run.  Once  away  from  the  Paint 
Hills  Islands,  the  course  lay  in  good  deep  water 
and  everything  ran  smoothly  until  the  Shepherd 
Islands  had  been  passed.  There  the  wind  sud- 
denly rose  from  the  west,  and  it  was  necessary  for 
us  so  take  refuge  in  the  lee  of  a  very  high  island, 
which  lies  near  the  mainland,  at  the  northern 
point  of  Old  Factory  Bay. 

Before  the  shore  was  reached  in  the  canoe,  the 
sky  became  black  with  the  clouds  of  an  approaching 
storm,  and  we  were  soon  being  beaten  by  a  shower 
of  thick  driving  snow  from  the  west.  The  island 


252  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

was  an  ideal  place  for  a  camp,  with  plenty  of  wood 
and  water  and  a  good  spot  for  tents.  The  harbour 
was  well  protected  from  the  west,  but  unfor- 
tunately totally  unprotected  from  the  north,  and 
remembering  from  previous  experiences  that  the 
storms  from  the  south  usually  veered  to  the  north 
or  north-west  before  they  completely  spent  their 
violence,  we  were  afraid  to  remain  at  the  island, 
should  any  opportunity  of  escape  be  offered  by  a 
period  of  calm. 

Having  partaken  of  our  dinner,  and  loaded  the 
kit  into  the  boat,  ready  to  leave  on  a  moment's 
notice,  we  ascended  the  hill  and  watched  for  signs 
of  the  abatement  of  the  storm.  At  last,  the  snow 
stopped,  and  although  the  wind  seemed  strong,  it 
appeared  to  be  dying  down,  so  we  determined 
to  make  a  dash  for  a  safer  harbour,  on  the  other 
side  of  Old  Factory  Bay. 

We  were  hardly  out  of  the  shelter  of  the  island 
when  the  storm  broke  out  afresh.  The  wind  blew 
in  strong  squalls,  accompanied  by  thick  flurries 
of  snow.  For  a  few  minutes  we  would  see  the 
mainland,  only  to  lose  sight  of  it  again  for  a  like 
length  of  time.  It  was  too  late  to  turn  back  so 
we  kept  doggedly  ahead,  determined  at  least  to 
reach  the  other  side  of  the  bay. 

At  last  it  was  discovered,  after  a  flurry  of  snow 
had  ceased,  that  we  were  approaching  what  ap- 
peared to  be  the  south  point  of  the  bay.  We 
endeavoured  to  round  the  point  and  reach  the 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  EASTMAIN  RIYER  253 

protection  of  Cape  Hope  Islands.  The  sea  proved 
too  rough  to  face,  so  we  turned  back,  and  after 
some  searching  found  a  fine  harbour,  with  deep 
water  and  splendidly  protected. 

To  our  surprise  and  delight,  there  was  an  Indian 
camp  in  the  bush  near  the  shore,  the  first  human 
habitation  seen  in  several  days.  It  had  been  a 
trying  day  of  disappointment  and  danger,  and  as 
we  were  stopping  early,  there  was  plenty  of  time 
to  make  a  comfortable  camp.  The  shores  were 
thickly  wooded  with  spruce,  offering  the  snug 
protection  that  can  only  be  obtained  in  a  green 
bush. 

Wood  and  water  were  difficult  to  obtain  owing 
to  the  Indian  camp  at  the  place.  There  was 
practically  no  dry  wood  left  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  to  obtain  any  we  had  to  cut  down  some  short, 
dry  stumps,  which  were  completely  overgrown 
with  underbrush.  It  was  slow,  wet  work  amongst 
the  dripping  willows,  and  it  was  dark  before  there 
was  sufficient  cut  to  last  throughout  the  evening 
and  to  cook  the  breakfast  the  next  morning. 
The  water  was  plentiful,  but  had  to  be  carried  for 
several  hundred  yards  through  the  thick  bush, 
no  easy  job. 

The  Indians  whose  wigwam  we  had  seen  were 
out  on  a  hunting  expedition,  but  returned  shortly 
before  dark.  A  visit  was  paid  them  in  order  to 
get  fish  or  fowl,  if  possible,  for  the  provisions  were 
very  low  at  that  time.  They  had  but  few  fish 


254  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

on  hand  and  these  were  smoked,  but  we  gladly 
bought  some  and  had  them  for  our  supper. 

The  following  morning  was  dark  and  threatened 
storm.  The  breakfast  consisted  of  boiled  flour, 
seasoned  with  salt  and  pepper,  the  only  provisions 
left  in  our  larder.  After  breakfast  we  ascended 
a  nearby  hill  to  have  a  look  at  the  sea.  There 
was  but  a  slight  wind,  although  the  result  of  the 
storm  was  still  in  evidence  by  the  large  swells 
that  came  from  seaward. 

We  hesitated  for  a  time,  but  spurred  on  by  that 
irresistible  desire  for  a  square  meal,  when  it  seems 
impossible  to  get  one,  eventually  made  a  start. 
Once  out  of  the  harbour,  it  was  seen  that  instead 
of  being  at  the  south  side  of  Old  Factory  Bay, 
we  had  only  entered  it  and  were  camped  near  the 
mouth  of  Old  Factory  River,  on  one  of  a  perfect 
maze  of  islands.  The  sea  became  smoother  as 
the  day  advanced  and  the  travelling  was  good  until 
about  noon. 

While  we  were  passing  Cape  Hope  Islands,  the 
wind  began  to  rise.  There  was  nothing  to  eat 
aboard,  so  we  determined  not  to  stop  until  safe 
within  the  Eastmain  River.  As  the  shoaly  coast 
was  approached,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  river  mouth, 
the  waves  began  to  break  and  gave  us  another 
anxious  time.  It  was  a  very  difficult  matter  to 
thread  our  way  through  the  shoals  that  encompass 
the  north  entrance,  but  at  last  we  were  safe  within 
the  river,  and  knew  that  even  if  the  bad  weather 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  EAST  MA  IN  RIVER  255 

detained  us  at  this  point  until  winter  really  set 
in,  we  were  sure  of  food  in  plenty,  and  shelter 
until  such  time  as  it  was  possible  to  get  out  with 
dog  teams. 

In  our  haste  to  reach  the  Post,  we  turned  across 
the  river  too  quickly  and  were  soon  aground  on 
the  sandbar.  The  tide  was  on  the  ebb,  and  every 
minute  meant  that  the  boat  would  be  more  difficult 
to  release.  By  dint  of  hard  labour  she  was  even- 
tually poled  out  into  the  channel  and  we  arrived 
at  our  destination  shortly  after. 

We  were  greeted  at  the  landing  by  Mr.  Jobson, 
and  several  of  the  Post  Indians.  The  quiet  of  the 
place  presented  a  striking  contrast  to  the  busy 
activity  that  had  characterized  it  during  our  visit 
while  going  north.  Now,  instead  of  the  wigwam 
village  on  the  field  to  the  west  of  the  Post  houses, 
there  were  only  a  few  piles  of  poles  and  here  and 
there  a  cache  of  such  articles  as  would  not  be 
required  during  the  winter. 

All  the  hunters  were  either  goose  hunting  or  had 
obtained  winter  provisions  and  were  on  their  way 
to  the  hunting  grounds.  The  Post  of  the  French 
Company  was  in  the  same  condition. 

While  anchoring  we  noticed  what  looked  like 
a  new  sandbar,  uncovered  by  the  receding  tide 
and  apparently  directly  in  front  of  the  Revillon 
Freres'  dock,  where  the  sailboat  was  accustomed 
to  tie  up  and  discharge  her  cargo.  Upon  ques- 
tioning Mr.  Jobson  about  it,  we  learned  that  it 


256  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

was  the  result  of  a  landslide  that  had  completely 
carried  away  the  store  and  threatened,  also,  to 
wreck  the  house.  Fortunately  the  Factor  had 
seen  the  approach  of  the  trouble  and  had  removed 
all  of  the  supplies  to  a  place  of  safety,  thus  pre- 
venting a  very  serious  loss. 

We  set  up  our  camp  at  the  top  of  the  river  bank 
near  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  store  and  then 
procured  some  much-needed  food.  With  canned 
sausages,  corn  syrup,  and  pancakes  we  indulged 
in  a  feast  and  only  stopped  when  the  utmost  limit 
of  our  capacities  had  been  reached. 

That  night  the  Husky  dogs  attended  to  their 
usual  business.  They  tore  through  the  tent, 
seized  the  balance  of  our  late  purchases,  including 
five  pounds  of  lard  and  some  butter,  and  departed 
for  parts  unknown. 

The  next  morning,  the  Factor,  on  being  informed 
of  our  loss,  offered  us  the  use  of  the  now  deserted 
carpenter  shop  as  a  dwelling.  We  gladly  accepted 
and  soon  had  it  fixed  up  very  comfortably  with 
tarpaulins  on  the  floors  and  a  table  and  chairs  by 
way  of  luxury. 

We  arrived  at  the  Post  on  October  the  ninth 
and  were  doomed  to  stay  over  a  week,  despite  the 
fact  that  indications  pointed  to  the  early  coming 
of  winter.  We  had  agreed  to  wait  at  this  point 
until  the  other  party  arrived,  and  in  the  meantime 
prepare  the  other  motor  boat  so  that  it  might 
be  taken  back  to  Moose  Factory  by  them.  The 


FORT  GEORGE  TO  EASTMAIN  RWER  257 

first  two  days  were  fine,  but  the  breeze  was  not 
favourable  for  the  York  boat.  The  next  four 
were  a  succession  of  storms  and  strong  winds,  so 
that  there  was  no  hope  of  the  other  party  making 
any  progress  whatever. 

It  was  a  dreary  time  for  us,  uncertain  as  to  the 
fate  of  our  men,  and  faced  with  the  probability 
of  two  months'  delay,  which  would  seriously 
affect  our  business  at  home  and  be  a  terrible  source 
of  worry  to  friends  and  relatives,  who  had  no 
means  of  ascertaining  our  whereabouts. 

It  was  wintry  weather,  cold,  driving  rain  being 
followed  by  snow,  the  first  to  really  accumulate 
on  the  ground.  On  October  the  fifteenth,  the 
first  hard  frost  occurred,  the  ground  being  frozen. 

In  the  meantime  the  other  motor  boat  had  been 
repaired  and  was  ready  to  be  launched  should 
the  other  party  arrive. 

Some  evenings  were  spent  pleasantly  with  the 
Factors,  listening  to  their  stories  or  their  gramo- 
phones. On  others,  by  way  of  a  change,  we 
would  invite  them  to  a  spread  of  our  own,  and 
treat  them  to  boiled  pudding,  tarts,  jellies,  and 
other  delicacies,  to  which  their  Indian  cooks  do 
not  aspire.  Whether  it  was  from  politeness  or 
appreciation  we  do  not  know,  but  these  products 
of  our  humble  skill  always  disappeared  rapidly. 
It  was  quite  evident  that  even  a  lengthy  stay  in 
the  bush,  with  nothing  but  plain  food,  does  not 
deprive  a  man  of  his  love  for  the  "frills." 
17 


CHAPTER  XIX 


Eastmain  River  to  Wood  Island 

ARLY  during  our  stay  at  the  East- 
main  Post,  Mac  was  sent  with  an 
Indian  guide  to  retrace  the  course 
as  far  as  Cape  Hope  Islands  in 
search  of  the  York  boat  party, 
but  they  returned  without  tidings  of  them.  A 
few  days  later  some  Indians  brought  news  of 
having  seen  The  Pride,  of  Fort  George,  taking  the 
course  to  Charlton  Island. 

As  the  days  passed  by  and  several  periods  of 
fair  wind  offered  the  York  boat  a  chance  to  reach 
the  Post,  if  she  were  coming  at  all,  we  decided 
that  her  crew  must  have  left  her  in  winter  quarters 
at  Fort  George,  and  gone  to  Charlton  on  The  Pride. 
From  there,  we  supposed,  they  would  take  the 
Inenew  for  Moose  Factory,  where  it  goes  to  winter 
at  the  close  of  the  season. 

On  Wednesday,  October  the  sixteenth,  the 
sun  was  seen  for  the  first  time  in  several  days,  and, 
hoping  that  a  period  of  good  weather  was  setting 
in,  we  prepared  for  a  dash  to  Moose  Factory  while 
it  lasted. 

Though  there  was  still  doubt  as  to  whether  the 
258 


EASTMAIN  RIVER  TO  WOOD  ISLAND  259 

other  party  had  preceded  us  to  Moose  Factory, 
it  was  certain  we  could  be  of  little  service  to  them, 
and  that  it  would  be  to  the  mutual  interest  of  both 
parties  for  us  to  reach  the  railway  before  the  rivers 
would  freeze  up  and  report  to  those  who  were 
interested  in  their  welfare. 

On  the  following  day  the  wind  and  weather 
continued  favourable  and  gave  us  hope  that  the 
long-looked-for  spell  of  good  weather  had  arrived, 
and  that  we  were  to  have  an  uninterrupted  trip  to 
Moose  Factory. 

When  our  proposed  departure  became  known, 
we  were  invited  to  bring  some  of  the  fowls,  that 
had  been  given  us  previously,  to  have  them  roasted 
in  the  factory  kitchen,  for  the  journey.  The  post 
people  gave  us  many  other  presents  of  game,  etc., 
so  that  we  were  ready  to  depart  with  a  well 
stocked  larder. 

Our  final  meal  was  partaken  of  in  the  cozy  little 
shop  which  had  been  our  home  for  the  past  nine 
days.  Two  or  three  of  the  dogs  that  had  guarded 
our  door  very  faithfully  were  given  a  good  farewell 
meal,  also.  Sarah  had  been  the  favourite  and  she 
possibly  fared  better  during  our  stay  than  she 
had  ever  done  before  or  probably  would  ever  do 
again. 

Despite  the  fact  that  Sarah  had  become  quite 
domesticated,  the  inherent  qualities  of  the  Husky 
dog  still  showed  up  in  many  of  her  propensities. 
That  of  stealing  was,  of  course,  the  most  prominent, 


260  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

but  fighting  was  no  mean  second.  The  appear- 
ing of  another  dog  at  the  door,  which  she  seemed 
to, look  upon  as  an  intrusion,  was  the  occasion 
for  the  most  wicked  snarls  that  one  could  con- 
ceive of. 

On  our  last  day  at  the  Post,  she  was  brought 
into  the  house  to  be  fed,  that  she  might  have 
greater  freedom  from  the  attacks  of  the  other  dogs. 
The  meal  consisted  of  a  large  panful  of  the  remains 
of  a  stewed  duck  in  thick  gravy.  Being  very  timid 
of  accepting  the  meal  inside  the  house,  no  doubt 
fearing  treachery,  she  picked  up  the  pan  in  her 
mouth  and  made  for  the  door,  which  was  partially 
open. 

When  on  our  visit  there  earlier  in  the  season,  we 
had  received  the  story  that  a  dog  had  carried  a 
kettleful  of  beans  from  our  tent  with  skepticism, 
but  after  Sarah's  feat  the  story  seemed  quite 
plausible. 

When  the  time  for  our  departure  had  arrived, 
although  anxious  to  get  home,  we  found  it  hard 
to  part  from  the  people  at  the  Posts  who  had  been 
so  considerate  of  our  welfare  and  had  shown  us  so 
much  genuine  kindness. 

Good-byes  said,  we  weighed  anchor  at  half 
past  one,  on  October  the  seventeenth,  despite  the 
protests  of  our  friends  at  the  Posts,  who  believed 
that  the  water  was  much  too  rough  for  safe  travel- 
ling in  the  small  craft.  As  long  as  we  could  see 
them,  they  were  watching  our  progress  down  the 


EASTMAIN  RIVER  TO  WOOD  ISLAND  261 

river.  We  were  determined  to  proceed  at  least  to 
Governor  Island  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where 
there  was  an  excellent  harbour  and  a  good  camping 
place.  It  was  intended  to  take  advantage  of  these 
if  the  sea  outside  was  found  to  be  too  rough  for 
further  progress. 

On  reaching  the  open  sea  it  proved  to  be  quite 
rough,  but  knowing  that  the  wind  had  been  blow- 
ing from  the  same  direction  and  with  the  same 
force  throughout  the  day,  and  that  it  was  highly 
improbable  any  material  change  would  occur 
before  sunset,  and  having  information  of  a  good 
harbour  and  camping  place  near  Loon  Point,  about 
twenty  miles  distant,  we  decided  to  attempt 
reaching  it  before  dark. 

The  matter  of  knowing  the  location  of  good 
harbours  and  camps  by  the  traveller  in  this  country 
is  one  of  equal  importance  to  that  of  knowing  the 
best  hotels,  when  he  tours  in  civilization. 

Our  progress  was  considerably  retarded  by  the 
strong  west  wind,  and  although  the  sea  remained 
in  the  same  condition  we  were  forced  to  seek  a 
harbour,  other  than  the  one  we  expected  to  reach, 
owing  to  the  approaching  darkness. 

An  attempt  was  made  to  get  into  the  lee  of 
several  islands,  but  it  was  impossible  to  do  so, 
owing  to  the  shallowness  of  the  water.  After 
several  attempts  we  managed  to  find  a  partially 
protected  bay  to  the  north  of  Partridge  Point, 
where  we  were  compelled  to  anchor  several 


262  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

hundred  yards  out  from  the  shore.  A  fine  camp 
was  set  up  in  a  short  time  and  an  abundance  of 
good  water  and  wood  found.  Thus  comfortably 
housed  for  the  night,  there  was  a  feeling  of  great 
satisfaction  in  knowing  that  we  were  again  en  route 
for  home,  despite  the  roughness  of  the  travelling. 
We  realized  that  there  was  little  hope  for  improve- 
ment in  the  weather  and  that  it  was  necessary  to 
travel  when  at  all  possible. 

The  following  morning  we  were  off  by  sunrise. 
Like  the  day  before,  it  was  beautiful,  warm,  and 
clear,  so  warm,  in  fact,  we  had  to  remove  our  coats 
as  the  sun  rose  higher  in  the  sky.  Much  to  our 
surprise  the  wind  entirely  abated,  and  a  few 
hours  later,  on  reaching  the  north  side  of  Boat- 
swain Bay,  the  water  was  an  oily  calm. 

While  passing  the  familiar  bouldery  shore  of 
McFarlane  Island,  a  slight  breeze  causing  a 
ripple  on  the  water  was  noticed,  which  before  we 
had  gotten  halfway  across  the  bay  had  developed 
into  a  regular  windstorm,  although  the  sky  was 
practically  cloudless.  The  shallowness  of  the  water 
in  the  bay  permitted  the  quick  rising  of  a  choppy 
sea,  and  for  some  time  it  was  difficult  to  weather 
it.  Seeking  protection,  we  turned  the  boat  towards 
one  of  the  islands  to  the  west  of  Sherrick  Mount, 
but  after  a  time  it  was  thought  impossible  to 
reach  it,  and  it  was  turned  again  toward  the  main- 
land, in  the  hope  of  finding  a  projecting  point 
behind  which  shelter  could  be  obtained. 


EASTMAIN  RI7ER  TO  WOOD  ISLAND  263 

Nearing  the  shore  we  saw  no  place  of  safety 
and  knew  that  our  only  salvation  lay  in  reaching 
one  of  the  islands.  This  was  again  attempted  and 
finally  accomplished,  after  an  exciting  conflict 
with  the  waves.  The  island  happened  to  be  the 
one  used  by  the  crews  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's boats  when  travelling  between  Rupert 
House  and  Eastmain  River.  We  anchored  in  a 
small  harbour  on  the  west  side  and  camped  on  the 
beach.  There  was  an  abundance  of  driftwood 
along  the  shore  and  fresh  water  a  short  distance 
back  on  the  rocks. 

During  the  night  the  wind  veered  to  the  west 
and  blew  a  gale  accompanied  by  a  heavy  rain.  We 
were  awakened  early  in  the  morning  by  the  pound- 
ing of  a  heavy  surf,  almost  at  the  very  door  of  the 
tent.  With  the  utmost  haste  we  removed  our 
valuables  to  a  place  of  safety,  and  then  confined 
our  attentions  to  the  boat,  which  was  in  a  very 
dangerous  position.  After  some  deliberation  we 
decided  that  it  was  not  safe  to  leave  her  unpro- 
tected any  longer  and  that  an  attempt  to  move  her 
into  a  place  of  safety,  on  the  lee  side  of  the  island, 
must  be  made  at  once. 

It  was  a  thrilling  moment  as  we  rushed  into  the 
surf  with  the  canoe,  and  seizing  a  favourable 
opportunity  after  a  large  comber  had  passed, 
jumped  into  it  and  paddled  with  all  our  might 
and  main  in  the  direction  of  the  boat.  It  was  a 
hard  pull  as  well  as  an  exciting  one,  for  it  was 


264  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

impossible  to  hold  the  canoe  against  the  wind  and 
prevent  it  from  taking  water  from  the  large 
breakers  as  they  passed. 

Having  reached  the  boat,  the  next  difficulty 
was  to  board  her,  for  when  she  was  up  we  were 
down,  and  vice  versa.  This  was  accomplished 
after  some  skilful  manoeuvring.  The  boat  had  not 
taken  any  water  so  that  there  was  little  difficulty 
in  getting  the  engine  started.  It  was  no  easy 
matter  to  avoid  being  driven  on  to  the  immense 
rocks  that  lined  the  beach  while  attempting  to 
turn  out  of  the  harbour  against  the  wind. 

Then  began  one  of  the  most  exciting  experiences 
of  our  lives  as  we  started  to  run  dead  ahead  of  the 
wind.  Huge  waves  curled  up  at  the  stern  and 
dashed  their  foam  and  spray  over  us.  Rising  with 
a  slow,  heavy  motion  to  the  crest  of  the  wave,  the 
boat  would  halt,  as  though  seized  by  some  invisible 
force  and  held  for  an  instant,  then  shoot  down 
into  the  trough  with  the  speed  of  an  express  train, 
tossing  the  spray  in  all  directions.  Fortunately 
we  had  bailed  out  the  water  from  the  canoe  before 
starting  the  engine,  for  by  the  time  we  had  reached 
quiet  water  on  the  lee  side  of  the  island,  it  was  half 
full  again. 

With  the  boat  in  safety,  our  next  thought  was 
for  the  tent  and  other  valuables  on  the  beach. 
Arriving  at  the  camp,  we  found  the  water  quite 
up  to  the  tent  door  and  were  forced  to  move  the 
contents  that  had  been  left  in  it. 


EASTMAIN  RIYER  TO  WOOD  ISLAND  265 

When  everything  was  in  safety,  we  set  out  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  island  to  find  a  place  for  the 
tents.  There  we  found  the  regular  camping  ground 
of  the  boat  crews,  and  a  beautiful  spot  it  was, 
situated  in  a  thick  grove  of  spruce  and  balm-of- 
Gilead.  After  the  tents  were  set  up  a  large  opening 
was  cleared  to  the  water's  edge,  to  permit  of  our 
seeing  the  boat  from  the  camp.  This  done,  we 
fancied  it  to  be  the  coziest  camp  of  the  whole  trip. 
It  certainly  was  an  ideal  spot  and  one  that  would 
have  appealed  to  the  summer  camper  in  more 
urban  communities. 

!  There  had  been  so  much  demand  of  late  for  the 
use  of  the  collapsible  stove,  all  the  cooking  being 
done  on  it,  that  it  was  almost  burnt  out,  and  this, 
combined  with  the  effect  of  weather  and  abuse  of 
travel,  had  rendered  it  really  unfit  for  further 
service.  It  would,  of  course,  have  been  impossible 
to  get  along  without  one,  so  a  makeshift  was 
devised  from  the  resources  at  hand. 

For  that  purpose  we  chose  a  couple  of  empty 
gasoline  cans,  cut  an  end  out  of  each,  and  telescoped 
them.  With  the  can  opener,  a  circular  hole  was 
cut  in  the  end  of  one  of  the  cans,  and  a  door  for 
this  opening  made  from  one  of  the  discarded  ends. 
A  hole  in  the  side  of  one  can,  fitted  with  a  small 
tin  collar,  served  as  the  stovepipe  hole.  The  stove 
complete,  with  five  lengths  of  pipe,  would  not  have 
weighed  more  than  ten  pounds.  When  in  use  it 
was  set  up  on  stones  or  pegs,  in  lieu  of  legs,  and 


266  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

answered  our  purpose  as  well  as  its  more  costly 
predecessor. 

As  the  storm  continued  throughout  the  day  and 
during  the  succeeding  night,  our  minds  were  made 
up  to  the  fact  that  we  would  have  to  give  up  all 
hope  of  reaching  Moose  Factory  by  the  projected 
route.  This  route,  the  one  taken  by  the  Post 
boats,  leads  from  Sherrick  Mount  to  Wood  Island, 
a  cut  of  about  eight  miles,  and  thence  down  the 
west  coast  of  Ministikawatin  to  Hannah  Bay. 
This  is  a  very  dangerous  coast  in  the  best  of 
seasons,  and  it  seemed  far  too  risky  a  venture  to 
attempt  a  passage  when  good  weather  was  the 
exception. 

It  was  therefore  decided  that  if  the  next  day 
proved  stormy,  we  would  abandon  our  original 
plans  and  proceed  to  Rupert  House.  In  the  event 
of  our  being  unable  to  secure  a  guide  to  accom- 
pany us  along  the  south  shore  to  Moose  Factory, 
we  would  beach  the  boat  and  remain  there  until 
the  ice  was  strong  enough  to  permit  of  walking 
across,  and  thence  up  the  Abitibi  River  to  the 
railroad.  Thus,  the  morrow  would  decide  the 
fate  of  the  following  two  or  three  months. 

The  next  morning  the  wind  was  still  blowing 
and  the  sea  very  rough.  We  went  to  the  usual 
point  of  observation  as  soon  as  it  was  light  enough 
to  see  clearly.  Off  to  the  west  lay  the  low,  dark 
outline  of  Wood  Island,  and  to  the  south  of  it,  the 
dim  profile  of  Ministikawatin,  which  divides 


EASTMAIN  RIVER  TO  WOOD  ISLAND  267 

Rupert  from  Hannah  Bay.  Directly  to  the  south 
could  be  seen  Stag  Island,  the  headquarters  of  the 
Hydrographic  Survey  party,  while  eastward 
loomed  Sherrick  Mount,  outlined  against  the 
stormy  sky.  Turning  our  gaze  northward,  nothing 
met  our  eyes  at  first,  save  a  turbulent  sea  dashing 
itself  into  spray  on  the  jagged  rocks.  Gradually  a 
small  streak  of  clear  sky  appeared  along  the 
horizon. 

The  question  now  was  whether  we  were  to  make 
a  start  for  Moose  Factory  or  for  Rupert  House 
when  it  was  calm  enough  to  leave  the  island.  The 
former  with  its  attendant  risk  and  danger,  if  made 
successfully,  offered  the  probable  reward  of 
reaching  home  within  a  month.  The  latter,  with 
its  element  of  security,  meant  in  all  probability 
detainment  for  several  months  and  consequent 
anxiety  at  home. 

One  can  picture  how  anxiously  we  watched  for 
the  enlargement  of  that  strip  of  blue  sky,  and  our 
hopes  were  rewarded  from  time  to  time  as  we 
made  our  way  to  the  point  of  observation.  By 
noon  the  sky  was  rapidly  clearing,  the  wind  had 
dropped,  and  the  waves  ceased  to  break,  conse- 
quently we  prepared  to  make  a  start  for  Wood 
Island.  At  half  past  three  we  weighed  anchor 
and  put  out  to  sea.  Just  then  the  sun  burst  forth 
and  filled  us  with  high  hopes  for  the  ultimate 
success  of  our  undertaking,  which  even  the  great 
rolling  swells  could  not  dampen. 


268  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

The  eastern  end  of  Wood  Island  was  reached  by 
five  o'clock,  but  nowhere  could  a  harbour  be  found 
on  account  of  its  low,  shoaly  shores.  We  coasted 
along  the  south  side  of  the  island  for  a  distance  of 
several  miles,  searching  for  an  anchoring  place, 
and  at  last,  as  it  was  growing  dark,  had  to  anchor 
in  an  unprotected  place  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
distant  from  the  shore.  The  tide  was  on  the  ebb, 
and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  a  landing  was 
effected  with  the  canoe,  the  water  being  so  shallow 
it  was  necessary  to  wade  and  pull  the  canoe  a  long 
distance. 

It  was  almost  dark  when  the  camp  was  set  up 
on  a  sandy  beach  at  the  foot  of  a  high  bank. 
Fortunately  we  had  brought  a  kettle  of  water 
from  the  other  island,  and  were  able  to  make  it  do 
for  supper,  but  having  eaten  some  salty  food  all 
went  to  bed  thirsty,  for  it  was  impossible  to  find 
more  water  in  the  dark. 

Shortly  after  landing,  the  wind  rose  and  the 
boat  began  to  toss  in  a  lively  fashion.  We  felt 
that  it  was  not  safe  to  leave  it,  with  most  of  the 
provisions  aboard,  in  such  an  unprotected  place, 
for  in  case  of  its  being  swamped  and  the  food  wet, 
our  position  might  prove  serious,  so  far  from  shore 
and  on  an  island  seldom  visited  at  that  time  of  the 
year.  Hence,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  return 
to  the  boat  and  bring  back  a  supply  of  food,  suffi- 
cient to  last  for  some  time,  in  case  of  accident. 

The  tide  was  very  low  and  it  was  with  difficulty 


EASTMAIN  RIYER  TO  WOOD  ISLAND  269 

that  the  canoe  was  carried  over  the  slimy  boulder 
beach  and  launched  in  the  fast  receding  water. 
By  this  time  the  sea  had  become  quite  rough,  and 
it  was  no  easy  matter  to  place  weighty  parcels  of 
food  in  the  canoe.  When  we  returned  to  the  shore, 
the  heavily  laden  canoe  went  aground  several 
hundred  yards  from  the  camp,  so  the  load  had  to  be 
carried  on  our  backs  over  the  slippery  boulders, 
involving  no  little  risk  of  broken  or  sprained  limbs. 

Everything  was  gotten  to  the  camp  without 
accident ;  the  effects  of  the  storm  were  feared  much 
less  than  if  only  a  limited  supply  of  provisions 
had  been  ashore,  as  was  the  case  when  we  first 
landed. 

The  night  was  certainly  a  wild  one  and  caused 
us  to  rise  many  times  and  peer  anxiously  out  into 
the  darkness  to  see  if  the  boat  was  safe  at  anchor. 
Much  of  our  rest  was  broken  during  these  stormy 
nights  by  the  constant  watching  of  the  boat,  and 
we  began  to  look  forward  to  the  time  when  we 
would  be  far  away  from  the  sea,  and  there  would 
be  no  craft  to  worry  about. 

The  following  morning  continued  stormy,  and 
it  was  evident  it  would  be  impossible  to  travel, 
consequently  we  did  not  rise  until  daylight.  Being 
still  very  thirsty  and  no  fresh  water  being  in  sight, 
we  dressed  fully  and  prepared  to  make  a  search 
for  some.  Starting  off  with  a  couple  of  pails,  we 
scaled  the  almost  vertical  hill  behind  the  camp  and 
began  a  tramp  through  the  woods,  hoping  that 


270  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

when  the  highest  point  was  reached  some  bare 
rocks  might  be  found  on  which  there  would  be 
pools  of  water. 

After  walking  for  a  mile  or  more,  it  became 
evident  that  we  were  going  down  towards  the  sea 
on  the  north  side,  so  we  returned  to  the  south  side 
of  the  island  by  a  circuitous  route,  but  found  no 
water.  When  the  beach  was  reached,  we  went 
westward  along  it,  hoping  to  find  a  stream  enter- 
ing the  sea.  We  pursued  this  course  without 
finding  water  for  three  miles,  until  near  the  western 
extremity  of  the  island  a  marshy  spot  was  seen, 
covered  with  a  couple  of  feet  of  water,  which  on 
being  tested  proved  to  be  fresh. 

It  was  a  most  tantalizing  position  to  be  as 
thirsty  as  we  were,  and  yet  unable  to  drink  the 
water  until  it  was  carried  a  distance  of  three 
miles  or  more  and  then  boiled,  for  it  was 
stagnant. 

The  camp  was  reached  shortly  before  noon.  The 
fire  was  soon  ablaze  and  the  water  brought  to  a 
boil.  After  a  good  long  drink  we  prepared  break- 
fast, for  the  walk  had  certainly  given  us  good 
appetites.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  water  was 
used  with  the  greatest  care,  realizing  as  we  did 
that  our  kettles  could  not  be  replenished  without 
our  taking  another  two  hours'  walk. 

In  the  afternoon  the  storm  slackened.  Knowing 
that  the  boat  had  been  aground  at  low  tide  and 
fearing  a  recurrence  of  the  storm,  we  thought  it 


EASTMAIN  RIVER  TO  WOOD  ISLAND  271 

advisable  to  move  her  farther  from  land  and  into 
deeper  water.  It  was  necessary  to  anchor  her 
between  a  half  and  three  quarters  of  a  mile  from 
shore  in  order  to  have  a  depth  of  five  feet  of  water 
at  low  tide. 


CHAPTER  XX 
"Wood  Island  to  Moose  Factory 


|  HE  storm  at  Wood  Island  lasted  only 
one  day  and  on  the  morning  of 
October  the  twenty-second  the 
wind  had  ceased  and  the  sky  was 
quite  clear.  We  put  out  to  the  boat 
with  the  load  at  sunrise,  but  before  it  was  reached 
signs  of  an  approaching  storm  were  noticed, 
causing  some  doubt  as  to  whether  it  were  safe  to 
attempt  the  run  across  to  the  mainland,  about 
eight  miles,  or  not. 

Unfortunately,  the  engine  gave  us  trouble,  and 
fully  three  quarters  of  an  hour  elapsed  before  we 
could  weigh  anchor.  By  this  time  the  sky  was 
completely  overcast  and  the  wind  rising.  Had  we 
been  ashore,  we  would  certainly  have  remained 
there,  but  having  made  the  start,  intended  if  the 
sea  grew  too  rough  to  turn  back  into  the  lee  of 
Wood  Island.  We  kept  going  ahead  without 
shipping  much  water  until  fully  halfway  across, 
and  then  realized  that  it  would  be  just  as  dangerous 
to  go  back  as  to  go  forward.  The  waves  were  very 
choppy,  but  the  boat  seemed  to  throw  them  off 
like  a  duck. 

272 


WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY  273 

As  the  mainland  was  approached,  the  sea  in- 
creased in  roughness  owing  to  its  shoaly  charac- 
ter. At  last  we  rounded  Sawayan  Point  and  were 
once  more  in  shelter.  Navigating  the  waters 
around  the  point  was  dangerous  business,  for  it 
was  surrounded  by  a  maze  of  rocky  shoals,  only 
submerged  at  high  tide,  but  once  behind  it,  al- 
though not  protected  from  the  wind  to  much  ex- 
tent, the  point  acted  as  a  breakwater  for  the  little 
harbour. 

The  excitement  of  the  crossing  on  such  a  rough 
sea  was  enough  for  one  day.  The  tents  were  set 
up  on  an  old  camp  site,  a  soft  grassy  spot  amongst 
the  boulders.  It  seemed  a  discouraging  ending 
to  our  proposed  uninterrupted  trip  to  Moose 
Factory,  as  the  threatening  clouds  rushed  swiftly 
across  the  sky,  but  we  were  determined  to  make 
the  best  of  it. 

Leaving  camp  shortly  after  dinner,  we  resolved 
to  find  the  Indians,  if  there  were  any  camped  in 
the  neighbourhood,  as  the  Post  people  had  in- 
formed us,  hoping  to  secure  a  guide  from  among 
them  to  accompany  us  to  Moose  Factory.  After 
rounding  the  first  point  of  the  mainland,  to  the 
west  of  the  camp,  it  was  thought  we  could  discern 
an  encampment  on  the  next  point,  fully  three  miles 
ahead  of  us.  Bringing  our  glass  into  requisition, 
the  large,  white  object  looked  very  much  like  a 
good-sized  marquee. 

Feeling  very  much  encouraged,  we  pursued  our 

18 


274  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

way  around  the  edge  of  a  deep  bay,  which  extended 
southward  into  the  mainland.  Coming  around 
this,  which,  by  the  way,  was  no  easy  thing  to  do 
on  account  of  its  swampy  shore,  we  reached  a 
higher  point  and  again  took  observations.  This 
time  we  were  almost  convinced  that  the  object 
was  a  tent  and  actually  thought  we  saw  people 
moving  around  it. 

Crossing  several  little  streams  that  led  from 
small  pools  at  the  edge  of  the  bush,  we  plodded 
onward,  and  while  doing  so  started  up  several 
flocks  of  geese.  Although  we  had  a  rifle  with  us, 
the  time  was  too  short  to  do  any  shooting  for  it 
was  growing  late.  Coming  up  again  to  another 
high  spot,  we  turned  our  glasses  on  the  point 
ahead  of  us.  This  time  the  object,  sad  to  say,  did 
not  resemble  a  tent  as  much  as  it  had  from  farther 
away. 

Going  a  little  farther  still  to  where  there  were 
some  immense  boulders,  we  climbed  up  on  top  of 
them  and  had  a  last  look,  a  good  long  one,  which 
sufficed  to  show  that  what  we  had  hoped  would 
lead  to  a  means  of  assistance,  was  really  nothing 
more  than  a  big  rock  in  the  midst  of  a  few  scattered 
trees. 

We  at  once  began  to  retrace  our  steps.  The 
tide  had  been  going  out  ever  since  we  had  left  the 
camp,  and  what  had  been  a  large  bay  on  the  way 
out  was  entirely  devoid  of  water  on  our  return, 
making  it  possible  to  cross  over  on  the  hard  sandy 


WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY  275 

bottom  without  any  difficulty.  This  shortened 
the  trip  fully  a  mile. 

Reaching  the  camp  at  dark,  we  found  Mac  had 
returned  from  a  like  expedition  in  the  opposite 
direction,  and  was  resting  after  his  long  walk. 
He  had  found  no  Indians,  but  something  was 
pleasing  him  very  much.  What  it  was  we  could 
not  tell  at  the  moment,  but  later  on  he  produced 
a  fine  pair  of  partridges.  While  the  fire  was  being 
made  and  the  birds  prepared  for  supper,  plans 
for  the  continuation  of  the  journey  were  discussed. 
The  next  day  brought  but  a  repetition  of  the  bad 
weather  and  was  much  too  stormy  to  permit  of 
our  starting  out. 

In  the  afternoon  the  sky  cleared  up  and  the 
sun  came  out.  Making  a  trip  to  the  Hydrographic 
tower  near  by,  from  which  a  good  view  of  the  sea 
could  be  had,  we  fancied  that  a  boat  was  approach- 
ing us  from  the  direction  of  Wood  Island.  The 
object  was  watched  for  some  time,  with  the  hope 
that  it  might  be  the  York  boat,  but  it  proved  to 
be  nothing  more  than  a  clump  of  trees  standing 
well  out  from  a  sandbank  on  the  island. 

The  moon  was  now  about  at  the  full  and  rose 
beautifully  bright  that  night,  a  strong  temptation 
to  travel  when  it  was  well  up.  The  danger  of 
striking  an  unseen  reef  caused  us  to  abandon  the 
idea  and  wait  for  daylight,  hoping  that  the  good 
weather  might  continue  on  the  following  day. 

About  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Mac  came 


276  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

to  the  tent  door  and  called,  saying  that  it  was  light 
as  day  and  he  thought  we  should  get  up  and  start. 
We  were  so  anxious  to  take  advantage  of  any  good 
weather,  either  by  day  or  night,  that  assent  was 
readily  given  to  the  proposal. 

It  was  a  long  job  getting  breakfast,  breaking 
camp,  and  loading  the  dunnage  into  the  boat. 
The  tide  was  out  and  everything  had  to  be  carried 
over  a  long  stretch  of  slippery  boulders  to  reach 
the  water's  edge.  When  at  last  the  canoe  was 
loaded,  the  water  was  too  shallow  to  float  it,  and  we 
had  to  wade  out  and  pull  it  along  to  deeper  water. 

By  the  time  the  boat  was  reached  the  moon  was 
almost  setting,  and  before  the  anchor  was  raised, 
it  had  gone  below  the  horizon.  It  was  five  o'clock 
and  in  another  hour  there  would  be  signs  of 
approaching  daylight.  After  some  discussion  it 
was  thought  that  with  careful  steering  we  could 
go  in  the  darkness  and  still  keep  off  the  shoals  and 
reefs.  One  took  the  wheel,  another  the  engine, 
and  a  third  stood  on  the  foredeck,  sounding  with  a 
twelve-foot  pole. 

Everything  went  along  smoothly  for  a  time, 
but  we  were  soon  in  a  maze  of  islands,  which  were 
really  heaps  of  boulders  only  exposed  at  low  tide. 
The  engine  compartment  was  lighted  by  an 
electric  lamp  and  there  was  also  a  light  on  the 
foremast,  but  the  latter  having  no  reflector, 
prevented  us  from  seeing  very  far  out  into  the 
darkness,  and  was  accordingly  removed. 


WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY   277 

We  were  running  quietly  along  at  a  rate  of 
about  six  miles  per  hour,  when  the  man  at  the 
wheel  called  out  to  the  one  taking  the  soundings 
that  he  thought  there  were  rocks  ahead.  No 
sooner  had  the  warning  been  given,  than  crash! 
went  the  boat  against  a  rock.  All  hands  were 
thrown  violently  by  the  shock,  and  before  the 
engine  could  be  stopped,  she  struck  again  with  a 
terrible  rasping  sound. 

For  the  first  time  in  our  experience  we  had 
really  been  "on  the  rocks."  The  force  of  the 
engine  drove  the  boat  forward  and  she  was  in 
deep  water  again.  A  hasty  examination  proved 
her  hull  to  be  undamaged.  Believing  that  it  had 
only  been  the  shoe  at  the  stern  that  had  struck, 
we  started  up  the  engine  again,  but  the  man  at  the 
wheel  found  he  could  control  the  boat  no  longer, 
and  investigation  proved  that  the  rudder  post  had 
been  broken  off,  thus  completely  disabling  the 
steering  gear. 

A  piece  of  cod  line  was  attached  to  each  side  of 
the  rudder  and  an  attempt  made  to  use  it  as  a 
jury  rudder,  but  the  line  proved  too  weak,  and 
we  had  to  find  some  other  method  of  steering,  or 
else  go  ashore  and  make  repairs.  By  this  time  it 
was  quite  light  and  the  first  signs  of  sunrise  were 
appearing  in  the  sky. 

With  the  rising  of  the  sun  came  a  slight  breeze 
and  evidences  of  a  perfect  day.  It  was  too  good 
weather  to  miss,  so  we  tried  steering  with  a  short 


278  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

oar  lashed  to  the  stern  thwart.  It  was  impossible 
with  the  small  leverage  available  to  hold  the  oar 
in  the  water  with  the  engine  going  at  full  speed,  for 
the  torque  of  the  propeller  tended  to  drive  it  away 
from  the  stern.  It  was  found  that  with  both  sails 
up  and  the  engine  at  half  speed  we  could  make  good 
progress  and  steer  well  enough,  by  dint  of  the 
expenditure  of  a  plenteous  supply  of  energy. 

A  small  island  near  the  shore  came  in  sight  and 
it  was  thought  best  to  make  for  it  and  replace  the 
broken  rudder  by  the  spare  one  that  was  aboard. 
To  do  this,  it  would  be  necessary  to  beach  the 
boat  and  remain  over  until  the  next  tide,  in  order 
to  float  her  again. 

The  island  proved  destitute  of  water,  so  it  was 
decided  to  push  ahead  and  try  to  reach  the  next 
point,  on  which  there  was  another  Hydrographic 
tower.  Pushing  off  from  the  island  with  our 
canvas  set  to  the  breeze,  we  sailed  ahead,  slow  to 
be  sure,  but  every  mile  covered  brought  us  that 
much  nearer  our  destination. 

About  ten  o'clock  the  tower  was  reached  and  we 
stopped  to  make  repairs.  To  do  this,  everything 
had  to  be  taken  from  the  boat  and  carried  to  the 
top  of  a  rise  on  the  shore,  two  or  three  hundred 
feet  back  from  the  water.  Encouraged  by  the 
good  weather,  we  determined  to  make  a  great 
effort  to  replace  the  rudder  without  taking  the 
boat  out  of  the  water,  hoping  still  to  get  a  few 
miles  ahead  before  dark. 


WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY   279 

The  boat  was  unloaded  and  brought  into  the 
shallow  water  bordering  the  beach,  and  then  the 
bow  weighted  down  with  stones  until  the  stern 
stood  well  out  of  the  water.  To  replace  the  rudder 
was  not  such  an  easy  matter  as  was  supposed,  for 
those  doing  it  had  to  stand  waist-deep  in  the  cold 
water  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  it  was  almost 
dark  before  the  work  was  finished. 

At  lunch  time  one  of  the  tents  was  erected,  but 
the  other  had  to  be  set  up  in  the  dark,  after  supper 
was  over.  It  was  quite  late  when  everything  was 
done  up  for  the  night.  We  had  had  some  difficulty 
finding  water  on  landing,  walking  a  considerable 
distance  into  the  bush  before  a  pool  was  found. 
Another  visit  to  the  source  of  supply  to  obtain  a 
further  quantity  of  water  was  necessary  before 
retiring,  and  wood  was  cut  for  the  morning  fire, 
for  it  was  hoped  to  leave  by  daylight,  as  the  indica- 
tions gave  promise  of  fair  weather,  and  if  such 
were  the  case,  we  expected  to  cross  Hannah  Bay. 
This  would  be  the  most  dangerous  run  of  the  trip. 
It  would  take  several  hours  to  do  it,  and  for  weeks 
there  had  hardly  been  such  a  period  of  time  in 
which  there  had  not  been  rough  and  dangerous 
weather. 

About  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  we  were 
surprised  to  hear  someone  asking  at  the  other 
tent,  "Whose  camp  is  this?"  Mac,  who  occupied 
it,  answered  the  query  and  a  short  conversation 
followed.  The  stranger  proved  to  be  Mr.  McCall 


280  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

of  the  North  Railway  Company  at  Rupert  House, 
en  route  for  Montreal  by  way  of  Moose  Factory. 
He  stated  he  had  left  Rupert  House  about  nine 
o'clock  the  morning  before,  alone  in  his  little 
sponson  canoe,  and  had  thus  travelled,  with  the 
help  of  a  small  sail,  a  distance  of  forty  miles  in 
about  fifteen  hours.  Mac  invited  him  to  share  his 
tent  for  the  balance  of  the  night,  which  he  was 
only  too  glad  to  do. 

The  next  morning,  we  were  up  at  four  o'clock 
and  had  our  introduction  to  the  newcomer.  He 
was  plied  with  many  questions  as  we  ate  our 
breakfast  together,  especially  as  to  the  progress  of 
the  railway,  and  the  latest  news  from  Rupert 
House.  He  seemed  to  feel  quite  proud  of  his 
previous  day's  travel,  and  said  that  the  people  of 
Rupert  House  prophesied  that  he  would  never 
reach  Moose  Factory.  Quite  unheedful  of  their 
predictions,  he  set  out  alone.  Money,  he  said, 
would  not  tempt  any  Indian  to  accompany  him 
on  the  journey. 

The  incident  was  another  proof  of  the  white 
man's  superiority  over  the  Indian.  The  latter 
will  certainly  run  no  risks,  and  as  a  rule,  where 
there  is  the  slightest  danger,  money  is  no  induce- 
ment to  him.  If  Columbus  had  been  an  Indian,  he 
would  never  have  discovered  America. 

We  offered  to  take  Mr.  McCall  in  our  boat  and 
tow  his  canoe  behind  ours,  which  invitation  he 
gladly  accepted.  Daylight  seemed  long  in  coming 


WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY  281 

and  there  was  a  heavy  fog  out  over  the  water. 
The  tide  was  quite  low,  so  we  had  to  carry  the 
dunnage  a  long  way  to  the  boat,  over  a  beach  of 
slippery  boulders.  Every  time  one  would  turn  to 
look  he  would  see  somebody  down  and  struggling 
to  regain  his  feet.  Some  of  the  party  carried  marks 
from  that  experience  for  several  days. 

On  account  of  the  lowness  of  the  tide,  it  was 
very  difficult  to  find  a  channel  for  the  boat.  There 
were  miles  of  shoals  protruding  out  of  the  water 
and  forming  a  chain  of  islands,  running  parallel 
to  the  mainland.  Steering  our  course  inside  of  the 
shoals,  on  account  of  the  fog,  we  travelled  ahead 
for  three  or  four  miles,  until  it  was  found  that  they 
became  connected  to  the  mainland,  and  there  was 
no  opening  through  which  the  boat  might  pass. 
It  was  necessary  to  retrace  our  course  and  go 
outside  of  the  islands. 

The  course  taken  was  several  miles  off  the 
mainland,  but  the  water  was  so  shallow  that  it  was 
necessary  to  take  soundings  as  we  went  ahead. 
Soon  the  wind  rose  and  the  fog  cleared  so  that  we 
could  see  the  mainland  plainly.  The  wind  grew 
very  strong  and  a  heavy  sea  was  soon  running. 
The  outlook  was  rather  serious,  for  no  matter  how 
much  we  wanted  to  land,  there  was  no  possible 
way  of  reaching  the  shore  on  account  of  the  shoals, 
and  no  canoe  could  have  weathered  the  sea.  The 
waves  were  running  very  high,  and  often  dashed 
completely  over  the  boat.  At  times,  the  boat 


282  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

would  be  raised  high  on  her  beam  ends,  only  to 
fall  with  a  crash  into  the  trough  of  the  wave, 
throwing  out  a  sheet  of  spray  to  drench  the  unfor- 
tunate helmsman. 

East  Point  was  now  the  desired  haven  of  safety, 
for  someone  had  told  us  there  was  a  harbour  in  that 
vicinity.  When  the  point  came  into  view,  the 
storm  was  at  its  worst.  The  boat  was  weathering 
all  that  it  possibly  could,  and  it  was  evident  that 
if  the  gale  increased  as  much  in  the  next  hour  as 
it  had  in  the  past  one  our  chances  of  escape  were 
very  small. 

Nowhere  did  we  see  any  place  that  would  afford 
shelter,  and  to  have  attempted  a  landing  would 
have  been  madness.  Rounding  the  point,  we  saw 
some  low-lying  islands,  practically  shoals,  to  our 
right,  and  believed  they  were  the  Plover  Islands, 
although  the  map  showed  them  to  be  several  miles 
south  of  the  point. 

Cautiously  sounding  and  keeping  a  strict  look- 
out, we  picked  a  channel  amongst  the  shoals  and 
finally  anchored  in  the  lee  of  the  upper  island.  It 
was  two  o'clock  by  this  time,  and  we  were  begin- 
ning to  feel  the  pangs  of  hunger,  not  having  eaten 
anything  since  half  past  four  in  the  morning.  The 
provisions  and  other  necessities  were  soon  gotten 
ashore. 

The  tide  was  going  out  rapidly  and  it  was  neces- 
sary to  move  the  boat  into  deeper  water  so  that 
she  would  not  be  aground  if  we  wanted  to  make  an 


WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY   283 

early  start  in  the  morning.  In  spite  of  this,  Mac 
remained  ashore  to  further  the  preparations  for 
the  approaching  meal  until  the  boat  was  fast 
aground  and  could  not  be  moved.  This  meant 
that  all  would  have  to  be  up  for  some  time  during 
the  middle  of  the  night,  watching  for  the  proper 
height  of  tide  and  then  to  move  the  boat  out  into 
deeper  water. 

We  retired  early  so  as  to  get  as  much  rest  as 
possible,  but  arose  at  midnight  to  watch  the  tide. 
By  one  o'clock  it  was  high  enough  and  the  balance 
of  the  party  were  called  to  help  pole  the  boat  out 
into  deep  water.  After  taking  her  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  island,  we  anchored  her  in  about 
eight  feet  of  water,  the  deepest  to  be  found.  It 
was  a  beautiful  night,  and  there  was  a  fine  bright 
moon. 

The  next  morning,  breakfast  was  eaten  before 
daylight  and  we  commenced  carrying  the  outfit 
over  the  boulders  to  the  east  end  of  the  island,  where 
it  was  intended  to  load  the  canoes.  By  sunrise 
this  was  completed  and  a  start  made  for  the  boat. 
The  sky  was  cloudless  and  there  was  every  indica- 
tion of  a  fine  day.  However,  weather  conditions 
do  not  take  long  to  change  in  James  Bay. 

Much  to  our  surprise  when  the  boat  was  reached, 
it  was  found  to  be  aground  at  the  stern.  The  tide 
was  low  and  it  would  be  fully  an  hour  before  it 
would  rise  sufficiently  to  float  her.  There  was 
nothing  that  could  be  done  but  wait  patiently. 


284  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

That  hour  seemed  like  two,  and  we  scarcely  took 
our  eyes  off  the  s.ky  and  the  water,  dreading  the 
approach  of  clouds  and  wind. 

In  an  hour  we  were  off  under  the  most  favourable 
conditions.  Once  away  from  the  shoals,  which, 
by  the  way,  extend  outward  from  the  mainland  a 
distance  of  two  or  three  miles,  and  as  far  south- 
ward as  the  eye  could  see,  we  headed  straight 
across  the  Bay  to  Big  Stone,  on  the  west  coast. 
It  was  apparent  that  under  favourable  conditions, 
Moose  Factory  would  be  reached  before  nightfall. 

This  was  the  twenty-sixth  of  October,  nearly 
two  months  since  we  left  Clark  Island,  during 
which  there  had  been  almost  continuous  stormy 
weather.  Had  the  conditions  been  normal  we 
should  have  made  the  journey  easily  in  fifteen 
days. 

It  was  on  this  course  that  our  party,  returning 
from  the  last  trip,  was  nearly  wrecked.  Early  in 
September  they  had  left  for  Moose  Factory,  after 
landing  us  on  Strut  ton  Island,  from  whence  we 
returned  to  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland,  by  steamer. 
Contrary  to  our  orders,  the  party  stopped  at 
Charlton  Island  and  spent  a  week  there.  The 
weather  during  that  period  was  the  most  beautiful 
imaginable.  Failing  to  take  advantage  of  this, 
they  were  caught  in  the  equinoctial  gales,  and 
narrowly  escaped  being  driven  ashore  in  Hannah 
Bay,  a  bad  ending  to  a  most  delightful  journey. 
They  managed  to  weather  it,  after  a  rough  time, 


WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY   285 

and  reached  the  Post  none  the  worse  for  their 
thrilling  experience. 

As  we  proceeded  toward  Big  Stone,  the  day 
became  quite  warm,  and  there  was  scarcely  a 
ripple  on  the  water.  Soon  the  shoaly  island  off 
Big  Stone  came  into  view  and  a  little  later,  when 
about  halfway  across,  it  became  evident  there 
could  be  no  retreat.  Everything  was  going  so 
beautifully,  it  was  deemed  quite  prudent  to  cele- 
brate the  occasion  with  a  real  good  lunch,  the  very 
best  our  larder  would  permit. 

When  the  low  outline  of  the  west  coast  of  the 
Bay  first  came  into  view,  we  could  not  refrain  a 
few  hearty  cheers,  for  it  seemed  practically  assured 
that  all  dangers  were  past.  Once  across,  the  only 
thing  that  remained  to  be  done  was  to  follow  the 
shore  and  watch  for  the  mouth  of  the  Moose  River, 
which  enters  the  Bay  about  fifteen  miles  from  Big 
Stone. 

It  was  difficult  to  realize  that  almost  four  months 
had  elapsed  since  we  had  crossed  before,  the 
weather  conditions  were  so  similar.  It  would  be 
almost  impossible  to  describe  our  feelings  when  it 
was  known  that  we  were  practically  coming  into 
touch  with  the  outside  world.  In  Moose  Factory 
we  expected  to  meet  the  rest  of  the  party,  or  to 
hear  that  they  were  on  their  way  out  to  Cochrane, 
and  hoped  to  find  mail  awaiting  us. 

Only  those  who  have  been  entirely  cut  off  from 
communication  with  civilization,  and  particularly 


286  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

with  their  relatives  and  friends,  can  understand 
the  anxiety  occasioned  by  the  prospect  of  coming 
into  touch  with  these  again.  So  much  might  hap- 
pen in  four  months,  one  is  eager  and  anxious  to 
get  the  first  assurance  that  everything  is  all  right. 

It  was  about  five  o'clock  when  the  mouth  of  the 
Moose  River  was  entered.  Unfortunately  the  tide 
and  the  current  were  both  against  us,  so  the  pull 
up  to  the  Post  was  a  long  hard  one,  and  the  boat 
seemed  to  make  little  or  no  progress  for  a  long 
time. 

At  sunset  we  were  at  the  dividing  point  in  the 
river,  one  channel  to  the  north  of  a  chain  of  islands 
leading  to  the  Revillon  Company's  Post,  the  other 
to  the  south  of  the  island  leading  to  Moose  Factory. 

It  was  here  that  we  saw  one  of  the  most  exquisite 
sunsets  of  the  entire  journey,  a  fitting  close  to  the 
most  eventful  cruise  of  our  lives.  The  sun  was 
followed  down  to  the  horizon  by  huge  banks  of 
white  clouds,  which  at  first  looked  like  great 
bunches  of  fluffy  wool,  then  as  it  sank  out  of  sight, 
they  gradually  turned  pink,  later  red,  then  a  deep 
purple,  and  finally  black  as  the  daylight  faded. 
The  night  grew  very  dark  and  threatening  and 
soon  a  thunderstorm  burst  upon  us,  but  the  boat 
covers  gave  us  ample  protection  from  it.  The 
storm  lasted  but  a  few  minutes  and  soon  the  stars 
were  twinkling  bright  in  the  sky. 

The  lights  of  Moose  Factory  seemed  a  long  time 
coming  into  view,  and  when  they  did,  we  failed  to 


WOOD  ISLAND  TO  MOOSE  FACTORY   287 

recognize  them,  thinking  they  were  those  of  the 
Revillon  Post.  This  was  due  to  the  fact  that  we 
were  outside  of  the  little  island  that  lies  in  front  of 
the  town  and  nearly  hides  it  from  the  river.  The 
engine  stopped  for  a  moment,  and  we  heard  people 
on  the  shore  discussing  the  approach  of  the  boat. 
As  the  upper  end  of  the  island  was  rounded,  the 
town  came  into  full  view,  and  our  cruise  of  thirteen 
hundred  miles,  the  first  of  the  kind  ever  made  on 
the  Hudson  Bay,  was  completed. 


CHAPTER  XXI 
Seven  WeeKs  at  Moose  Factory 

OREMOST  among  those  to  welcome 
us  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Haythorn- 
thwaite,  who  came  out  in  his  canoe 
to  greet  us  and  assure  us  of  his 
gladness  for  our  safe  return.  Our 
failure  to  appear  earlier  in  the  season  had  given 
rise  to  much  anxiety  at  the  Post  on  our  behalf 
and  the  feeling  of  relief  seemed  general  when  we 
made  our  appearance.  Mr.  Hay thornth wait e  most 
kindly  invited  us  to  stay  at  the  Mission  house,  but 
four  people  seemed  too  large  an  addition  to  any 
man's  family,  so  we  compromised  by  camping  and 
then  having  supper  with  him. 

With  the  assistance  of  several  of  the  Indians  the 
tents  were  soon  set  up,  on  the  same  place  where  the 
entire  party  had  camped  before.  This  accom- 
plished, we  repaired  to  the  Industrial  School  for 
our  supper,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haythornthwaite 
were  in  charge,  having  moved  from  the  mission 
house  a  week  or  two  before. 

We  were  received  by  the  Missionary,  his  wife, 
and  the  mission  teacher  and  nurse,  Miss  Barker. 
The  feast  of  roast  duck  and  the  dainties  which 

288 


AT  MOOSE  FACTORY  289 

accompanied  it  seemed  truly  fit  for  a  king  and  we 
appreciated  them  as  only  hungry  men  could. 

Our  first  inquiries  were  about  the  York  boat 
party.  We  were  informed  that  nothing  had  been 
heard  of  them.  The  next  matter  of  importance 
was  that  of  securing  guides  to  take  us  up  the  river. 
We  were  told  that  it  would  be  quite  impossible 
to  induce  any  of  the  men  to  go  out  so  near  the 
time  of  the  freeze-up.  Some  of  the  Ontario 
Government  engineers  had  gone  to  the  front  the 
week  before,  and  it  had  been  only  after  consider- 
able difficulty  that  the  Factor  secured  men  to  take 
them  out. 

It  was  most  necessary  for  some  of  us  to  go  out, 
even  if  all  could  not,  so  that  the  people  at  home 
might  be  informed  that  all  were  well,  and  that  the 
expedition  had  been  a  success.  Mr.  McCall  said 
he  was  going,  if  any  one  would  accompany  him. 
Mac,  who  also  claimed  to  be  a  canoeman  of  no 
mean  ability,  volunteered  to  go,  and  Mr.  Scott,  one 
of  the  engineers  of  the  Government  party,  who 
had  remained  behind  the  others,  offered  to  accom- 
pany them  if  there  was  room  in  the  canoe.  It  was 
agreed  the  morning  after  our  arrival  that  these  three 
should  start  for  the  railway  on  Tuesday  morning. 

After  consulting  with  the  Factors  of  both  Posts 
with  regard  to  our  own  program,  we  decided 
to  take  their  advice  and  settle  down  for  a  few 
weeks,  until  the  freeze-up  permitted  us  to  walk 
out  by  one  of  the  rivers. 
19 


29o  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

On  the  evening  following  our  arrival,  Sunday,  we 
attended  service  at  the  little  cathedral,  and  after- 
ward went  to  supper  at- the  Industrial  School.  It 
was  then  settled  that  we  should  have  the  use  of  the 
Mission  house.  So  many  pleasant  hours  had  been 
spent  in  it  on  our  former  visit,  that  it  did  not  seem 
at  all  strange  to  take  up  our  residence  there.  The 
house  remained  just  the  same  as  when  the  parson 
lived  there,  the  furniture  and  everything  else  being 
left  in  place.  We  were  allowed  the  use  of  the  house, 
wood  and  water,  and  were  invited  to  help  ourselves 
to  the  vegetables  in  the  cellar.  These  were  as 
fine  a  lot  of  garden  products  as  one  could  wish  for. 
Some  of  them  were  the  best  flavoured  we  had  ever 
eaten. 

On  Monday  we  packed  up  our  tents  and  dun- 
nage for  good  and  moved  to  the  house  where  we 
were  destined  to  spend  the  next  seven  weeks.  The 
following  day  the  party  were  to  leave  for  the  front, 
so,  as  soon  as  our  moving  was  accomplished,  thanks 
to  the  Mission  horse  and  wagon,  we  turned  our 
attention  to  the  preparation  of  reports  and  corre- 
spondence. We  worked  far  into  the  night,  but  were 
unable  to  complete  our  letters,  so  had  to  rise  long 
before  daylight  the  next  morning  in  order  to  finish 
them. 

After  breakfast  we  wrapped  the  mail  in  a  rubber 
sheet  to  protect  it  from  dampness,  and  went  down 
to  give  it  to  the  departing  members  of  the  party 
and  to  see  them  off.  When  we  arrived  at  the  shore, 


AT  MOOSE  FACTORY  291 

a  consultation  was  going  on  between  the  trio,  and 
as  Mr.  Scott  thought  there  was  too  much  in  the 
canoe,  he  refused  to  go.  His  dunnage  had  to  be 
removed  as  well  as  his  provisions,  and  the  canoe 
repacked,  all  of  which  took  considerable  time. 
Good-byes  were  said  and  the  canoe  started,  we 
hoped,  on  a  successful  trip  to  the  railway. 

We  felt  deeply  gratified  with  the  thought  that 
soon  our  friends  at  home  would  know  that  all  were 
safe,  even  though  we  were  unable  to  return  at  the 
time.  No  one-  can  imagine  our  sense  of  relief 
when  we  found  ourselves  free  from  worry  over 
weather  conditions,  and  living  in  a  house,  safe 
from  the  attacks  of  the  Husky  dogs,  with  no  more 
rising  in  the  night  to  look  after  the  boat,  or 
breakfasting  by  candle-light. 

For  the  first  few  days  we  determined  to  take  a 
much-needed  rest  and  then  to  begin  rewriting  our 
diary.  One  evening,  a  week  after  Mac  had  left, 
when  sitting  at  our  tea  discussing  the  probability 
of  the  two  men  being  near  the  end  of  their  canoe 
journey,  and  of  the  receipt  of  our  letters  at  home, 
suddenly  we  heard  the  outside  front  door  open, 
and  then  the  dining-room  door.  To  our  great 
surprise  and  consternation  Mac  and  McCall  en- 
tered the  room. 

Warmed  up  with  a  cup  of  good  hot  tea,  they 
told  us  their  story.  They  had  gone  but  forty 
miles  up  the  river,  and  meeting  with  many  obstacles 
that  retarded  their  progress,  had  given  up  hope  of 


292  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

getting  out  before  the  freeze-up,  and  accordingly 
returned.  It  was  too  hard  work,  Mac  said,  as  he 
had  to  do  all  the  tracking.  The  ice  had  formed 
along  the  shore  in  rough  ridges,  due  to  the  move- 
ment of  the  tide,  and  thus  made  it  almost  im- 
possible to  walk. 

Apparently  the  travellers  were  not  congenial 
companions;  one  said  that  had  he  had  another 
man  as  good  as  himself  he  would  not  have  turned 
back,  and  the  other  told  exactly  the  same  story. 
It  seemed  to  us  that  if  we  had  had  the  experience 
either  of  these  men  claimed,  there  would  have  been 
no  doubt  of  our  reaching  the  railway. 

Mac  remained  with  us,  and  as  there  was  no 
room  elsewhere,  Mr.  McCall  was  accommodated 
at  the  Mission  hospital,  in  which  there  were  no 
patients  at  the  time. 

On  Mac's  return  we  started  out  with  new  rules. 
Each  man  was  to  perform  certain  duties;  we  were 
to  take  turns  in  the  lighting  of  the  fire,  in  the 
splitting  of  wood,  in  the  dish  washing  and  every- 
thing else  that  goes  with  good  housekeeping.  This 
worked  nicely  for  a  day  or  two,  but  the  novelty 
soon  wore  off,  as  it  had  done  when  we  were  travel- 
ling, and  it  was  more  trouble  to  get  certain  of  the 
party  to  do  their  duty  than  to  do  the  work 
ourselves. 

It  became  almost  a  rule  with  us  to  go  to  the 
Industrial  School  for  an  hour  each  evening  before 
retiring,  where  we  engaged  in  pleasant  conversa- 


AT  MOOSE  FACTORY  293 

tion,  and  finally  drank  a  cup  of  coffee  before 
departing.  Along  the  lines  of  farming  Mr.  Hay- 
thornthwaite  was  particularly  bright,  and  the 
keen  interest  he  took  in  these  matters  was  a 
revelation  to  us.  Had  there  been  a  few  more  men 
like  him  on  the  Hudson  Bay,  during  the  past  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years,  there  would  be  many 
cellars  of  fine  vegetables  in  that  country,  in  ad- 
dition to  his. 

All  praise  must  not  go  to  the  parson,  for  both 
Mrs.  Haythornthwaite  and  Miss  Barker  were  very 
much  interested  in  things  pertaining  to  farming, 
for  it  is  a  matter  of  great  importance  to  the  Indus- 
trial School.  While  we  were  in  the  Mission  house, 
a  number  of  tomatoes  ripened  on  plants  grown  in 
the  house  and  attended  by  the  ladies. 

Miss  Barker  had  spent  a  season  at  the  Guelph 
Agricultural  College,  so  she  was  familiar  with 
farming,  both  in  theory  and  in  practice.  Dur- 
ing the  fall  previous  to  our  arrival,  she  had 
expressed  a  desire  to  go  into  the  field  and 
plough,  but  had  been  denied  the  privilege  by  the 
parson. 

The  Mission  possesses  a  few  cattle,  a  horse,  and 
a  colt.  The  only  fodder  that  could  be  obtained  for 
these  was  wild  marsh  hay,  which  is  not  very 
nourishing,  so  the  experiment  of  raising  oats  was 
tried  in  a  small  field  that  year.  The  crop  was  a  fine 
one  and  ripened  fully,  but  unfortunately  there 
was  no  means  of  threshing  it,  and  the  grain  and 


294  W  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

straw  was  fed  to  the  cattle  instead  of  hay.  This 
proved  far  superior  to  the  marsh  hay. 

A  small  patch  of  turnips  was  sown,  half  of  ruta- 
bagas and  the  other  half  of  early  whites,  and 
about  eighty  bushels  were  raised.  The  rutabagas 
were  the  finest  flavoured  turnips  we  had  ever 
tasted.  These  were  being  fed  out  daily  to  the 
cattle.  They  were  stored  in  an  unheated  cellar, 
and  up  to  the  time  of  our  departure  in  the  latter 
part  of  December,  they  were  in  perfect  condition. 
The  potato  crop  was  a  great  success,  as  was  also 
the  general  vegetable  garden,  where  they  had 
cauliflower,  cabbage,  carrots,  onions,  beets,  pars- 
nips, and  tomatoes. 

To  aid  them  in  the  farm  work,  the  Mission  has 
several  ploughs  and  cultivators,  a  mowing-machine, 
a  horse  rake,  and  a  power  saw,  driven  by  a  gasoline 
engine,  for  cutting  their  wood.  A  windmill  was 
being  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  pumping 
their  supply  of  water,  both  for  the  house  and  the 
stables,  from  the  river. 

The  first  few  days  after  our  arrival  were  most 
enjoyable  for  they  offered  an  opportunity  for 
much-needed  rest,  and  one  in  which  to  gather 
information  about  the  Post.  We  were  soon 
completely  rested,  but  found  that  the  people 
resident  there  knew  very  little  of  the  history  of 
Moose  Factory,  so  that  research  along  that  line 
was  well-nigh  impossible.  We  had  hoped  to  again 
see  the  old  office  books  and  journals  of  the  Hudson's 


AT  MOOSE  FACTORY  295 

Bay  Company  and  make  some  notes  from  them, 
but  found  they  had  all  been  destroyed  since  our 
last  visit,  with  the  exception  of  the  oldest  journal. 
We  photographed  a  page  of  this,  but  it  was  too 
faded  to  show  distinctly  in  the  picture.  The  date 
of  this  journal  was  1746. 

In  the  latter  part  of  November,  the  ice  began  to 
form  on  the  river,  a  thin  sheet  freezing  during  the 
night,  but  owing  to  the  heat  of  the  midday  sun  and 
the  rising  and  falling  of  the  tide,  it  would  break  up 
each  day  and  pass  out  into  the  Bay.  We  were 
anxiously  awaiting  the  formation  of  permanent 
ice,  so  that  it  would  be  possible  for  us  to  cross  the 
river  and  spend  some  of  our  time  at  the  Post  of  the 
Revillon  Company.  One  trip  was  made  while 
the  river  was  full  of  floating  ice,  but  this  proved 
too  dangerous,  and  we  did  not  try  to  do  it  again. 

About  the  first  of  December,  the  river  was  frozen 
sufficiently  for  crossing  from  mainland  to  mainland, 
a  distance  of  about  four  miles,  but  there  was  still 
open  water  along  the  shores  at  high  tide.  As  soon 
as  the  solid  ice  formed,  the  hunters  who  were 
spending  the  winter  at  the  Posts  were  able  to  make 
visits  to  their  hunting  grounds  where  their  traps 
were  set.  Many  also  went  to  some  small  streams 
on  the  south  side  of  the  mainland  where  fine 
brook  trout  were  obtainable  from  holes  cut  in  the 
ice.  Most  of  the  Company's  servants  had  their 
favourite  hunting  places  and  usually  took  Satur- 
day afternoon  to  visit  their  traps. 


296  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

We  were  much  interested  to  hear  Mrs.  Draulette 
tell  of  her  many  hunting  experiences.  Her  traps 
were  set  on  an  island,  about  seven  miles  from  the 
Post,  which  she  visited  frequently.  On  these 
occasions,  there  was  always  the  expectancy  and 
the  hope  that  she  would  be  rewarded  with  a  silver 
fox.  She  had  never  been  so  favoured  but  hoped 
to  be  more  fortunate  that  season.  One  of  the 
servants  at  their  Post  had  been  lucky  enough  to 
catch  a  silver  fox  in  each  of  two  succeeding  seasons. 

There  is  no  woman  on  the  Bay  who  has  entered 
into  the  spirit  of  the  northern  life  with  the  same 
degree  of  interest  as  Mrs.  Draulette,  which  is  all 
the  more  remarkable  when  one  takes  into  considera- 
tion the  fact  that  she  is  a  lady  of  education  and 
refinement  and  came  directly  from  the  associations 
of  Parisian  society  to  the  Hudson  Bay  country. 
Nor  do  her  household  duties  suffer  in  any  way 
from  her  pursuit  of  the  outdoor  life.  Nothing 
could  be  neater  than  her  home,  and  to  be  invited 
to  sit  at  Mr.  Draulette 's  table  and  partake  of  the 
dainties  provided  by  the  hostess  is  not  only  a 
treat,  but  a  memorable  function  for  the  traveller 
of  that  country. 

Two  events  during  our  stay  at  Moose  Factory 
that  will  live  in  our  memories  for  some  time  to 
come  were  a  double  wedding  and  a  social  party  at 
the  Mission  house.  The  latter  was  attempted  by 
ourselves  and  the  former  was  carried  out  success- 
fully by  four  of  the  young  people  of  Moose  Factory. 


At  the  Mission  House,  Moose  Factory 


The  Industrial  School,  Moose  Factory 


AT  MOOSE  FACTORY  297 

One  of  the  bridegrooms  was  a  son  of  the  chief 
servant  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Post,  and 
the  other  a  son  of  Fred  Mark,  the  catechist  of  the 
Mission.  We  did  not  have  the  pleasure  of  an  ac- 
quaintance with  the  ladies. 

For  days  preceding  the  wedding,  the  greatest 
bustle  and  excitement  was  observed  at  the  homes 
of  the  contracting  parties,  in  the  preparation  of 
the  trousseaux  and  the  customary  viands  for  the 
marriage  feast. 

While  we  were  sitting  at  our  tea  on  the  evening 
of  the  event,  a  halt  was  occasioned  in  the  meal  by 
one  of  the  grooms  calling  to  invite  us  to  the 
wedding,  which  was  to  take  place  at  seven  o'clock, 
and  to  participate  in  the  festivities  following  the 
ceremony. 

We  were  much  interested  in  the  function  and 
repaired  to  the  church  in  good  season  to  have  our 
curiosity  satisfied.  Promptly  on  the  hour  of  seven, 
the  wedding  party  entered  the  church  to  the  strains 
of  the  wedding  march  and  took  their  places  in 
front  of  the  altar.  Accompanied  by  the  subdued 
tones  of  the  organ  the  service  was  read. 

The  brides  looked  exceedingly  well  in  their 
gowns  of  white  lawn  and  hats  to  match.  The 
grooms  were  dressed  in  the  conventional  black 
and  had  little  rosettes  of  ribbon  as  boutonnieres. 

At  the  close  of  the  ceremony  a  banquet  was 
held  at  the  house  of  the  catechist,  while  the  brides' 
cake  and  other  refreshments  were  served  at  the 


298  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

home  of  the  chief  servant.  Finally,  a  dance  was 
held  in  the  factory  kitchen,  lasting  well  into  the 
morning. 

While  the  wedding  was  an  event  of  much  serious- 
ness, our  party  caused  considerable  merriment. 
Unfortunately  the  kitchen  stove  in  the  Mission 
house  was  not  a  good  cooker,  consequently  the 
refreshments  provided  for  the  guests  were  not  as 
palatable  as  we  wished  them  to  be. 

The  baking  was  done  the  same  day  that  the 
party  was  held.  Although  the  tarts  were  in  the 
oven  by  midday  they  could  not  be  removed  until 
nine  o'clock  in  the  evening.  Any  one  who  knows 
anything  about  baking  will  agree  with  us  that  a 
tart  nine  hours  in  the  oven,  whose  complexion  was 
still  pale  when  removed,  was  a  very  dangerous 
article  of  food,  and  no  sensible  host  would  feel 
hurt  if  the  guests  refused  a  second  helping. 

Everything  that  was  baked  in  the  stove  suffered 
likewise,  but  the  defects  in  the  tarts,  as  far  as 
appearance  went,  were  concealed  by  spreading  a 
good  covering  of  whipped  cream  over  the  fruit, 
which  to  say  the  least  made  them  look  quite 
inviting. 

Some  of  the  more  kind-hearted  of  the  guests 
complimented  us  on  our  confectionery,  but  in 
justice  to  them  it  must  be  said  that  it  was  done 
before  they  had  sampled  it.  Had  the  tributes 
been  paid  after  the  meal  we  would  have  realized 
that  they  were  only  for  politeness,  for  the  next 


AT  MOOSE  FACTORY  299 

day  scraps  of  the  " grub**  were  found  tucked  safely 
under  sofa  cushions  and  other  spots  that  offered 
seclusion  for  the  time  being. 

Due  to  the  kindness  of  the  accountant  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  who  allowed  us  to  use  his 
photographic  apparatus,  we  were  able  to  develop 
most  of  the  films  which  had  been  exposed  during 
our  trip  on  the  Bay.  This  occupied  many  of  the 
evenings  during  our  stay  at  the  Post. 

Early  in  December  Mr.  James  Dobie,  a  provin- 
cial land  surveyor,  who  was  surveying  the 
boundaries  of  the  new  Indian  reservation  on  the 
Abitibi  River,  arrived  at  the  Post  with  three 
companions  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the 
necessary  provisions  and  equipment  for  his  return 
journey  to  Cochrane.  Mr.  Scott,  who  was  still  at 
Moose  Factory,  accompanied  him  on  his  return. 
The  ice  was  not  strong  enough  for  him  to  go  any 
farther  up  the  river  than  to  his  camp,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  French  River,  from  which  he  and  his  party 
were  to  strike  overland  by  way  of  Niven's  line,  the 
Algoma-Nipissing  boundary,  which  would  bring 
them  within  a  few  miles  of  New  Post. 

This  was  the  first  opportunity  to  send  out  mail. 
However,  we  expected  to  get  out  nearly  as  soon  as 
they,  so  merely  wrote  home  that  all  were  well  and 
we  would  shortly  follow  our  letters. 

Our  guides  to  be,  who  were  to  return  from 
Hannah  Bay  as  soon  as  they  deemed  the  river 
safe  for  travelling,  were  now  daily  expected,  and 


300  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

accordingly  preparations  were  begun  for  the  long 
tramp.  In  seeking  information  regarding  food  and 
other  supplies  for  the  journey,  we  found  in  this  as 
in  every  other  case  wherein  advice  had  been 
solicited  from  the  people  at  the  various  Posts, 
there  were  no  two  who  ever  recommended  the 
same  thing.  The  provisions  which  were  selected, 
as  was  found  later  on,  were  ill-suited  for  the  pur- 
pose. 

From  a  well-boiled  ham  and  some  fine  yeast 
bread,  baked  at  the  Mission  school,  we  made  a 
good  supply  of  sandwiches  and  tied  them  together 
with  twine,  so  that  they  would  not  separate  with 
handling.  These  were  packed  carefully  in  a  cotton 
bag.  In  addition,  about  ten  pounds  of  flour,  some 
lard  and  baking  powder,  a  supply  of  canned 
sausages  and  sardines,  oatmeal,  butter,  cocoa, 
tea  and  coffee,  canned  milk,  and  cheese  constituted 
our  rations.  The  cooking  utensils  and  dishes  con- 
sisted of  a  frying  pan,  tea  pail,  and  a  cup,  bowl, 
knife,  fork,  and  spoon  apiece.  Our  object  was  to 
have  sufficient  nourishing  food  and  necessary 
equipment,  with  the  least  bulk  and  weight. 

The  time  had  now  come  when  the  packet  from 
Rupert  House  should  arrive,  and  with  it  we  ex- 
pected news  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  York  boat 
party.  The  guides  who  were  to  accompany  us  to 
Cochrane  arrived  at  the  Post  and  were  waiting 
for  us  to  start.  However,  we  did  not  intend  to 
leave  until  the  other  party  was  heard  from.  We 


AT  MOOSE  FACTORY  301 

hoped  to  be  able  to  leave  about  the  middle  of  the 
month. 

On  the  fourteenth  of  December,  a  prospector, 
who  had  been  working  in  the  vicinity  of  Rupert 
House,  arrived  in  Moose  Factory  with  his  partner, 
a  guide,  and  a  dog  team,  en  route  for  the  "front. " 
He  brought  us  welcome  news.  The  rest  of  our 
men  were  safe  and  sound  at  Rupert  House,  al- 
though Mr.  Strong  had  suffered  from  a  severe 
attack  of  la  grippe,  which  for  a  time  threatened 
serious  consequences.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woodall,  the 
clergyman  and  his  wife,  had  nursed  him  safely 
through  his  serious  illness.  He  had  fully  recovered 
and  was  leaving,  as  well  as  his  party,  in  a  few  days 
for  Moose  Factory. 

Mr.  Strong  was  to  come  with  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company's  packet,  consequently  it  would  be 
but  a  few  days  before  his  arrival,  and  it  was 
planned  to  leave  as  soon  as  he  reached  Moose 
Factory. 

On  the  following  Sunday  we  attended  service 
in  the  little  cathedral  for  the  last  time,  and  as 
was  the  usual  custom  spent  the  evening  with  the 
parson  and  his  family.  Much  as  a  stay  of  two 
months  in  the  quietude  of  the  little  town  had  been 
dreaded  on  our  arrival,  by  the  time  of  our  departure 
we  had  grown  quite  attached  to  the  people,  and  as 
the  hour  of  leaving  drew  near,  we  regretted  parting 
with  those  who  had  shown  us  so  much  kindness  and 
succeeded  in  making  our  sojourn  a  pleasant  one. 


302  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

On  the  following  afternoon  we  made  our  farewell 
visit  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Draulette  at  the  Revillon 
Post,  having  dinner  and  spending  the  evening  with 
them.  Leaving  about  nine  o'clock,  we  started 
across  the  river  on  snowshoes  over  the  freshly 
made  path.  Although  the  moon  was  not  shining, 
the  night  was  light  and  there  was  little  difficulty  in 
following  the  trail. 

Once  across  to  Moose  Island,  the  trail  leads 
through  the  bush,  which  starts  at  the  south-west 
corner  of  the  island,  and  leads  to  the  Post.  This 
is  a  very  beautiful  bush  and  through  it  winds  a 
network  of  trails.  It  is  a  favourite  spot  for  hunting 
in  the  winter,  and  in  the  summer  provides  a 
pleasant  retreat  for  the  dusky  lovers  of  the  little 
town. 

On  our  return  to  the  Mission  house,  Mr.  Strong 
was  found  comfortably  housed  in  our  quarters 
and  looking  remarkably  well  despite  his  serious 
illness  and  the  journey  of  over  a  hundred  miles  by 
dog  team.  His  return  had  been  looked  forward  to 
with  much  pleasure  during  all  these  weeks  of 
waiting,  and  there  was  much  interesting  news  to 
recount  by 'both  parties.  His  experiences  with  the 
sailboat,  after  we  left  Fort  George,  were  quite 
thrilling,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty 
that  he  and  his  party  had  reached  the  Eastmain 
River,  two  days  after  our  departure  from  that 
place. 

The  York  boat  was  put  into  winter  quarters  at 


AT  MOOSE  FACTORY  303 

the  Eastmain  Post  and  the  party  set  out  in  two 
canoes  for  Rupert  House,  a  distance  of  seventy- 
five  miles.  They  left  nearly  all  their  belongings 
in  order  that  they  might  travel  light  and  make 
better  speed.  Four  men  being  in  each  canoe,  there 
was  really  no  room  for  anything  but  the  bare 
necessities  of  life.  Many  of  the  men  had  made 
collections  of  curios  and  it  was  with  a  great  deal  of 
regret  that  they  had  abandoned  them. 

When  they  reached  Rupert  House,  the  Bay  and 
rivers  had  not  begun  to  freeze,  so  after  getting 
sufficient  provisions  to  carry  them  to  Moose 
Factory,  they  started  on  their  journey  thither. 
They  had  only  gone  as  far  as  Cabbage  Willows 
Bay  when  a  cold  spell  overtook  them,  the  ice  began 
to  form  along  the  shore,  and  they  were  compelled 
to  return  to  Rupert  House — which  place  they 
reached  with  great  difficulty — and  settle  down  to 
await  the  final  freeze-up.  They  built  themselves 
a  comfortable  log  cabin  in  which  to  live,  for  it 
would  be  much  easier  to  heat  than  a  tent,  and 
made  the  very  best  of  their  situation. 

The  day  following  Mr.  Strong's  arrival,  Decem- 
ber the  seventeenth,  was  spent  entirely  in  making 
preparations  for  our  departure.  The  balance  of 
the  party  from  Rupert  House  was  not  expected 
for  a  few  days,  and  we  concluded  that  it  was  best 
for  our  own  party  to  leave  for  home  immedi- 
ately. Provisions,  bedding,  toboggans,  dogs,  etc. 
were  all  gotten  in  readiness  for  the  following 


304  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

morning.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  packet 
was  also  to  leave  in  the  morning,  so  there  was 
general  excitement  about  the  place,  in  order  that 
the  travellers  might  be  prepared  for  an  early  start, 
and  that  residents  of  the  Post  might  have  their 
letters  written  to  friends  and  relatives,  or  to  the 
stores  at  the  front,  where  the  next  summer's 
supply  of  luxuries  was  to  be  ordered. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

Homeward  Bound  on  tHe  Ice. 
Moose  Factory  to  New  Post 

[E  morning  of  December  the  eight- 
eenth dawned  clear  and  with  a 
moderate  temperature.  We  break- 
fasted before  daylight  and  shortly 
after  paid  a  farewell  visit  to  the 
officers  of  the  Post. 

The  guides  brought  their  toboggans  and  dogs 
down  to  the  Mission  house  and  tied  the  latter  at 
safe  distances  apart  along  the  fence,  while  the 
former  were  being  loaded  and  lashed.  What  a 
bedlam  of  noise  the  rascals  raised !  Too  far  apart 
to  fight,  they  drew  as  close  together  as  their  ropes 
would  permit  them  and  vented  their  rage  in  the 
weird  wolflike  howl  for  which  the  Husky  dog  is 
famous. 

As  it  was  impossible  for  the  guides  and  Mac  to 
take  all  the  dunnage  and  provisions  required  for 
the  party  and  the  dogs  on  their  toboggans,  we 
provided  a  large  one  for  ourselves.  As  dogs  were 
scarce  we  planned  to  haul  it,  and  for  that  purpose 
contrived  a  double  harness  of  pack  straps  to  make 
the  work  as  easy  as  possible.  This  was  rather  a 
20  305 


306  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

bold  undertaking,  but  as  the  loads  would  grow 
lighter  every  day  it  would  be  possible  to  gradually 
transfer  ours  to  that  of  the  dogs  and  thus  lighten 
our  burden.  The  people  of  Moose  Factory  very 
much  doubted  our  ability  to  walk  out  even  un- 
encumbered, and  expressed  themselves  as  being 
certain  that  we  would  never  reach  the  end  of  the 
island,  pulling  our  own  toboggan.  In  fact  they 
prophesied  our  return  to  Moose  within  a  few  days 
to  accept  their  proffered  hospitality  until  the 
spring.  It  was  our  intention  to  show  these  doubt- 
ing friends  the  kind  of  stuff  that  Canadians  are 
made  of. 

About  ten  o'clock  all  but  Mac,  who  had  risen 
but  shortly  before,  were  ready  for  the  start,  with  the 
dogs  in  their  harness  and  the  loads  lashed  firmly 
to  the  toboggans.  The  people  of  the  Mission  and 
some  of  the  natives  assembled  to  see  us  off.  One 
old  Indian,  Long  Mary,  who  had  made  us  some 
fancy  footwear,  having  sat  up  all  the  night  previous 
to  complete  the  work,  walked  along  with  us  as  far 
as  the  river  bank,  where  others  were  waiting,  and 
shouted  advice  concerning  the  management  of  the 
toboggan  when  making  the  steep  descent  to  the  ice. 

We  had  donned  our  blanket  suits  but  soon  the 
strenuous  exercise  combined  with  the  heat  of  the 
strong  sun  made  us  halt  and  lash  the  coats  to 
the  toboggan.  The  travelling  was  good  for  a  wrhile 
as  the  trail  near  the  Post  had  been  used  for  some 
time  and  the  packet  had  passed  over  it  but  an 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  NEW  POST      307 

hour  before.  Much  of  the  way  led  over  glare  ice, 
making  it  hard  to  keep  our  feet  as  we  hauled  the 
toboggan. 

About  noon,  while  having  a  short  breathing  spell, 
we  saw  a  dark  spot  on  the  trail  some  distance  in 
the  rear  and  soon  recognized  Mac  with  his  dogs, 
quite  awake  and  doing  his  best  to  catch  up  to  us. 
We  gave  him  a  chance  and  had  a  cold  lunch  while 
waiting. 

From  there  on  the  three  of  us  travelled  together, 
the  guides  being  somewhat  in  advance.  The  ice 
soon  began  to  get  very  rough,  in  particular  when 
we  crossed  to  the  north  side  of  the  river.  There 
had  been  rapids  at  the  place  and  the  ice  was  made 
up  chiefly  of  tilted  fragments,  which  had  originally 
formed  on  smooth  water  and  when  broken  up  had 
become  jammed  together  and  consolidated.  This 
place  was  a  mild  introduction  to  what  was  to  be 
encountered  later  on,  but  it  furnished  us  a  rather 
strenuous  time,  our  load  being  too  high  and  easily 
overbalanced. 

Throughout  the  day  the  weather  remained  mild, 
although  the  wind  on  the  open  river  became  quite 
biting  as  the  evening  advanced. 

It  is  a  custom  of  the  Indians  when  travelling  in 
the  winter  to  stop  frequently  for  a  cup  of  hot  tea, 
but  dry  wood  is  very  scarce  within  a  radius  of  ten 
miles  of  the  Post,  so  it  was  late  in  the  afternoon 
before  we  had  such  refreshment.  These  stopping 
places  will  always  hold  a  pleasant  place  in  our 


308  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

memories  for  the  quiet  comfort  and  rest  they 
afforded.  A  place  is  always  chosen  by  virtue  of 
the  presence  of  dry  wood  and  protection  from  the 
chilling  wind  during  the  party's  inactivity. 

An  easy  path  up  the  river  bank  being  found,  one 
would  take  his  axe  and  cut  a  hole  in  the  ice  near 
by,  where  the  tea  pail  might  be  filled  with  water. 
Others  busied  themselves  in  loosening  the  lashings 
of  the  toboggans  in  order  to  get  the  "grub"  bag, 
which  was  placed  at  the  end  of  the  load  so  as  to  be 
easy  of  access.  This  contained  all  the  food  required 
for  the  day,  as  well  as  tea  mugs,  knives,  forks,  and 
spoons. 

The  balance  of  the  party  would  break  the  trail 
up  the  bank  and  into  the  bush,  until  a  level  place, 
free  from  brush,  was  found.  A  clear  spot  in  the 
snow  for  the  fire,  probably  two  yards  square,  would 
be  firmly  tramped  down.  Some  would  get  dry 
twigs  and  birch  bark  or  cut  chips  from  a  stick  of 
dry,  resinous  wood  or  cedar.  Others  would  cut 
and  split  large  sticks  of  dry  wood  and  soon  a  fire 
would  be  blazing  merrily. 

In  the  meantime  some  of  the  guides  would  have 
tramped  down  the  snow  for  yards  around  on  the 
windward  side  of  the  fire,  and  have  carpeted  it 
with  a  beautiful  covering  of  freshly  cut  boughs. 
It  was  only  about  fifteen  minutes'  work,  after  the 
party  had  been  out  a  few  days  and  were  working 
systematically,  from  the  time  of  starting  until  the 
kettle  was  on  the  fire. 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  NEW  POST      309 

Carefully  brushing  the  loose  snow  from  off  their 
moccasins,  the  party  would  group  themselves  in 
comfortable  attitudes  before  the  fire  to  enjoy  the 
hot  tea,  and  if  it  were  noon,  a  substantial  addition 
of  food,  but  meat  was  rarely  cooked  at  any  other 
time. 

All  the  while  these  preparations  were  going  on, 
the  dogs,  which  had  been  left  to  rest  while  still  in 
their  harness,  would  be  jumping  about  and  howling 
in  the  most  piteous  tones.  Sometimes  their 
plunges  would  be  made  in  unison  and  their  to- 
boggan started,  not  to  stop  until  they  had  it 
hauled  up  to  the  camp-fire.  At  other  times,  some 
of  them  would  shed  their  harness  and  come  skulk- 
ing into  camp.  They  were  generally  rewarded  for 
these  tricks  with  a  sound  thrashing  at  the  hands 
of  their  masters,  administered  with  the  most 
convenient  weapon,  usually  either  a  snowshoe  or  a 
stick  of  firewood. 

The  average  time  spent  at  these  stops  was  about 
forty-five  minutes  and  they  were  usually  made  at 
about  10  A.M.,  I  P.M.,  and  sometimes  at  3  P.M. 

The  resuming  of  the  journey  would  be  the  signal 
for  the  dogs  to  begin  afresh  their  howling  and 
prancing,  which,  with  the  shouting  of  the  guides 
in  their  vain  attempt  to  quiet  the  canines,  would 
create  a  regular  pandemonium,  that  would  re- 
echo throughout  the  surrounding  forest. 

We  continued  travelling,  this  first  day,  until 
about  four  o'clock.  Twelve  miles  had  been  covered 


310  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

and  Charlie  Macauley,  the  head  guide,  suggested 
that  camp  had  better  be  set  up  at  the  top  of  the 
river  bank  at  that  place,  for  there  was  no  other 
accessible  spot  in  the  vicinity  where  this  could  be 
done. 

What  an  awful  place  for  a  camp  it  was!  The 
bank,  fully  twenty-five  feet  high,  was  nearly 
vertical,  but  with  the  united  efforts  of  men  and 
dogs  all  of  the  toboggans  were  soon  above  and 
ready  to  be  unlashed. 

The  ground  was  covered  with  a  network  of 
windfalls,  their  stiff,  dry  branches  so  intermingled 
as  to  make  progress  through  them  look  quite 
impossible. 

Nothing  daunted,  we  set  to  work  with  a  will, 
following  the  directions  of  our  more  experienced 
companions.  A  strenuous  half  hour's  work  did 
wonders  for  the  place  and  two  spots  were  soon 
cleared  for  our  tent  and  a  lean-to  for  the  others. 
The  snow  was  carefully  packed  down  on  the  tent- 
site  and  then  covered  with  a  thick  carpet  of  spruce 
boughs.  Tent  poles  and  pickets  cut,  the  tent  was 
set  up  in  the  same  manner  as  though  it  were  resting 
on  the  sod  in  June.  Four  stakes  driven  into  the 
snow  served  as  legs  for  the  tin  stove  and  very  soon 
the  little  tent  was  warm  and  cozy. 

The  next  duty  was  to  tie  up  the  dogs,  for  in  such 
narrow  confines  it  required  but  a  few  seconds  of 
freedom  to  start  a  dog  fight  that  might  well  have 
been  called  an  inferno  of  wolfish  howls  and  snarls 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  NEW  POST      311 

and  flying  hair.  They  were  securely  fastened  to 
trees,  at  safe  distances  apart,  and  then  the  further 
unpacking  of  toboggans  began.  Everything  valu- 
able was  either  put  in  a  safe  place  in  the  tent  or 
hung  on  a  nearby  tree,  for  to  those  savage  dogs, 
seemingly  born  hungry,  even  a  snowshoe  is  a 
great  delicacy. 

Quietness  soon  settles  down  in  the  camp  as  the 
evening  meal  is  begun,  for  one  does  not  feel  much 
given  to  hilarity  after  a  hard  day's  work  in  the 
open  air. 

On  the  trail,  a  day's  work  does  not  end  with 
supper,  for  the  dogs  must  have  their  daily  rations 
of  one  pound  of  pork,  and  then  comes  the  job  of 
drying  out  the  footwear.  The  latter  is  by  far  the 
most  necessary  of  all  precautions  which  the  person 
who  wants  to  make  a  comfortable  and  quick  jour- 
ney must  take.  No  matter  how  careful  he  is, 
there  is  bound  to  be  more  or  less  moisture  in  his 
moccasins  and  duffels  (socks  made  in  the  shape  of 
moccasins  out  of  blanket  material,  and  worn  over 
light  stockings  and  under  heavy  outside  ones)  and 
if  they  are  not  dried  out  daily  sore  feet  are  sure 
to  be  the  result. 

When  all  the  duties  were  attended  to,  shavings 
and  dry  wood  made  ready  for  the  morning  fire, 
the  day's  diary  written  up,  and  perhaps  some 
necessary  sewing  done,  we  would  creep  into  the 
sleeping  bag,  the  head  of  which  was  convenient  to 
the  stove  door,  a  position  that  enabled  us  to  light 


312  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

the  fire  without  arising,  and  soon  be  asleep,  dream- 
ing perchance  of  dining-car  dinners  and  home 
comforts,  despite  the  fact  that  they  could  hardly 
be  more  enjoyable  than  those  we  had. 

When  we  left  Moose  Factory  our  watches  were 
all  out  of  order,  but  it  was  little  suspected  that 
Charlie's  was  in  the  same  condition.  It  was  our 
custom  to  rise  at  such  a  time  that  all  could  be 
ready  to  start  off  by  daylight.  We  arose  the  first 
morning,  after  what  seemed  to  have  been  a  long 
night's  sleep,  and  after  completing  the  morning 
duties,  broke  camp  and  sat  around  an  open  fire, 
awaiting  daylight.  It  did  not  come  for  nearly  two 
hours,  and  the  experience  gave  us  unwelcome 
forebodings  of  much  lost  sleep  in  the  future. 

The  morning  was  beautifully  clear  but  a  strong, 
bitterly  cold  wind  was  blowing  from  the  south- 
west, directly  into  our  faces  as  we  travelled.  Soon 
after  leaving  the  camp,  another  was  reached,  that 
of  Jimmy  Job,  the  guide  who  took  the  York  boat 
to  Rupert  House.  After  some  dickering  the  use  of 
his  watch  was  obtained  for  the  trip,  much  to  our 
relief. 

The  trail  proved  good  most  of  the  way,  although 
quite  rough  for  a  short  distance  when  a  detour 
was  made  across  the  river  to  avoid  some  hummocks. 

The  islands  in  the  river  become  very  scarce  and 
the  banks  low  as  the  mouth  of  the  Abitibi  is 
approached,  and  the  long  unprotected  stretches 
offered  free  scope  to  the  wind.  About  eleven 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  NEW  POST      313 

o'clock,  becoming  very  warm,  due  to  the  strenuous 
work  of  pulling  a  one-hundred-and-fifty-pound  load 
against  the  wind,  we  removed  our  coats  and  lashed 
them  to  the  toboggan,  during  a  stop  for  breath. 
While  doing  this,  it  was  discovered  that  one  had 
his  cheeks  and  the  other  his  chin  and  throat  badly 
frozen.  Copious  applications  of  snow  soon  had 
both  in  condition  for  going  ahead  and  none  the 
worse  for  their  experiences. 

In  the  meantime  the  rest  of  the  party  with  their 
dogs  had  gotten  a  mile  or  so  ahead  of  us  and  soon 
vanished  altogether  from  sight.  Being  so  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Abitibi,  it  was  certain  that  they 
would  not  stop  until  they  reached  it,  consequently 
it  was  expected  on  our  arrival  to  find  them  there, 
having  lunch. 

Imagine  our  disappointment  when  on  entering 
the  river  no  signs  of  them  were  to  be  seen  other 
than  the  freshly  broken  trail  leading  forward. 
Weary  with  the  long,  hard  pull  against  the  wind 
and  thirsty  to  the  point  of  choking,  it  seemed  as 
though  we  could  not  proceed  farther  without 
having  some  refreshment,  but  finally  plucked  up 
enough  courage  to  go  ahead,  in  hope  that  the 
others  might  be  camped  just  beyond  a  nearby 
bend. 

We  were  still  doomed  to  disappointment,  so  de- 
termined to  have  a  cold  lunch  without  waiting 
to  make  tea.  What  a  lunch  that  was!  The  ham 
sandwiches  were  frozen  into  dry  chips,  a  bite  of 


314  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

which  sent  chills  straight  to  our  toes,  the  sardines 
were  also  in  the  same  condition,  almost  too  hard 
to  chew,  and  the  cheese  and  biscuits  were  as  hard 
as  a  rock,  although  the  most  palatable  of  the  lot. 
It  was  so  cold  we  had  to  don  our  coats  and  then 
dance  around  to  keep  warm,  but  the  food,  such 
as  it  was,  served  to  brace  us  up  and  we  started 
forward  determined  to  overtake  the  others. 

About  half  a  mile  from  our  stopping  place, 
smoke  was  seen  curling  up  from  a  clump  of  trees, 
and  we  were  soon  at  the  long-looked-for  camp  and 
drinking  great  bumpers  of  hot  tea.  Stimulated 
with  the  hot  drink,  we  once  more  started  on  our 
way  and  travelled  until  shortly  after  dark.  The 
days  were  very  short  and  unless  the  making  of 
camp  was  started  before  four  o'clock,  it  could  not 
be  completed  with  daylight.  Fortunately  on  this 
particular  evening,  the  moon  rose  early,  enabling 
us  to  travel  in  its  pale  light  with  even  more  comfort 
than  in  the  glare  of  the  bright  sun  on  the  snow. 

This  part  of  the  river,  filled  with  small  islands, 
the  narrow  passages  between  them  lined  with  tall 
snow-draped  spruce,  formed  a  most  beautiful  pic- 
ture, enlivened  by  the  silently  moving  dog  teams 
winding  their  way,  in  Indian  file,  along  the  narrow, 
sinuous  trail. 

The  camp,  pitched  in  a  grove  of  very  large 
spruce  and  lighted  by  the  glare  of  a  huge  fire, 
made  a  charming  picture.  All  the  party,  with  the 
exception  of  Mac  were  in  the  best  of  trim,  and 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  NEW  POST      315 

despite  the  fact  that  they  had  covered  seventeen 
miles  in  nine  hours  of  travelling,  felt  less  sore  from 
the  effects  of  the  exertion  than  on  the  previous 
evening.  Mac  seemed  to  find  the  work  a  bit  too 
strenuous,  and  when  the  stop  was  made,  seated 
himself  on  his  toboggan  out  on  the  trail  and  did 
not  budge  until  the  camp  was  in  order. 

'  The  following  day,  though  dull  and  of  moderate 
temperature,  was  not  stormy.  Having  a  good 
start  in  the  morning,  we  were  able  to  make  almost 
twenty  miles  that  day.  Early  in  the  day,  we  met 
two  Indians  on  their  way  to  Moose  Factory,  and 
learned  from  them  that  Mr.  McCall's  party,  which 
had  left  the  Post  two  days  previous  to  us,  were 
now  but  a  day  and  a  half  ahead. 

Mac's  load  being  very  light,  his  dogs  kept  him 
on  the  run,  so  he  suggested  that  we  should  tie  our 
toboggan  to  his  and  let  the  dogs  pull  both.  It 
was  a  heavy  load  for  them,  consequently  we  helped 
them  with  a  push-pole  behind  the  last  toboggan. 
Even  this  was  not  as  hard  work  as  pulling  the 
whole  load. 

The  trail  led  over  several  rough  places  on  the 
rapids,  where  the  ice  was  piled  up  into  high 
hummocks.  At  such  places  we  had  to  help  the 
dogs  by  pulling  with  a  pack  strap  attached  to  the 
front  toboggan.  Camp  was  made  that  night  on  a 
clearing  around  the  permanent  hunting  camp  of 
the  Indians  we  had  met  in  the  morning. 

The  going  next  day  was  good  for  some  time, 


316  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

and  we  again  let  the  dogs  pull  our  toboggan, 
assisting  them  with  the  push-pole.  Later,  the 
Long  Opening,  a  long  rapid  stretch  without  a 
bend,  was  reached.  The  ice  was  so  rough,  it  was 
necessary  to  pull  our  own  toboggan  in  order  to 
lighten  the  load  of  the  dogs. 

About  noon,  Cedar  Creek,  which  is  supposed 
to  be  the  point  halfway  between  Moose  Factory 
and  New  Post,  was  reached.  Just  as  we  were  camp- 
ing, the  Indians  who  had  taken  Mr.  McMillan,  the 
Government  engineer,  out,  were  met.  They  had 
been  forced  to  remain  at  the  front  until  the  freeze- 
up  and  were  returning  at  this,  the  first  opportunity. 
We  travelled  about  sixteen  miles  that  day,  which 
was  not  bad  considering  the  roughness  of  the  ice. 

On  the  fifth  day  we  reached  the  foot  of  the  Long 
Rapids,  which  are  noted  for  their  rough  ice  in  the 
winter,  often  piled  up  ten  feet  high.  Fortunately 
we  found  that  it  was  not  so  this  year.  The  river 
was  much  narrower  and  the  banks  much  higher 
at  this  point  than  lower  down  and  presented  many 
beautiful  views  to  the  lover  of  nature. 

The  next  day  offered  a  change  from  the  general 
routine.  We  early  reached  the  first  of  the  por- 
tages, the  one  around  Clay  Falls.  A  steep  hill, 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  high,  had 
to  be  ascended,  a  job  both  strenuous  and  exciting. 
We  had  to  pull  our  own  toboggan,  as  the  dogs  had 
all  they  could  manage  without  it.  Once  on  the 
top,  the  trail  was  fairly  good  although  the  snow 


Five  Minutes'  Rest  on  the  Trail 


The  Authors  in  Harness 


MOOSE  FACTORY  TO  NEW  POST      317 

was  not  so  firmly  packed  as  on  the  river.  Beyond 
the  portage,  the  ice  was  not  very  good  and  we  were 
plunging  through  slush  until  our  feet  were  like 
ice  blocks.  We  were  able  to  reach  Elbow  portage, 
and  make  the  first  ascent,  about  seventy-five  feet, 
before  dark  and  camped  on  the  trail. 

It  was  snowing  lightly  the  following  morning 
but  we  were  off  early.  The  trail  was  very  broken, 
steep,  high  hills  being  the  prevailing  feature. 

The  heavy  exercise  early  in  the  day  did  not 
fatigue  us  appreciably,  and  we  got  across  at  a  fair 
rate  of  speed.  Above  this  portage  the  snow  was 
much  deeper,  which  made  the  walking  more 
difficult,  but  New  Post  was  reached  early  in  the 
afternoon. 

There  we  caught  up  with  the  packet,  for  it  was 
Christmas  Eve  and  the  packet  men  were  stop- 
ping over  for  a  couple  of  days  in  order  to  enjoy 
the  festivities  at  the  Post, 


CHAPTER  XXHI 
New  Post  to  CocKrane 

jFTER  a  general  exchange  of  news  with 
the  packet  men  and  the  Factor,  Mr. 
McLeod,  that  gentleman  advised  us 
that,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  pro- 
curing wood,  it  were  best  that  we 
should  spend  the  night  in  the  house  of  his  Indian 
servants  near  by.  We  thanked  him  for  his  kind 
suggestion,  but  knowing  a  thing  or  two  about  these 
Indian  houses  decided  to  have  our  tent  put  up. 
Our  men  accepted  the  invitation  to  sleep  in  the 
house. 

It  was  not  an  easy  matter  to  set  up  the  camp,  but 
we  managed  to  get  boughs  from  the  rear  of  the 
Post,  and  bought  some  firewood  from  the  Factor. 
It  seemed  almost  impossible  for  us  to  believe  that 
it  was  Christmas  Eve  without  the  conventional 
celebration,  so  it  was  decided  that  the  most 
fitting  thing  to  do  was  to  get  to  bed  early,  hoping 
to  dream  of  Santa  Claus,  roast  turkey,  and  plum 
pudding. 

We  were  up  the  next  morning  by  five  o'clock. 
The  moon  was  still  high  in  the  sky  and  by  its  light 
the  breaking  of  camp  was  accomplished.  We  had 

318 


NEW  POST  TO  COCHRANE  319 

our  tent  taken  down  and  everything  packed,  ready 
for  starting,  long  before  the  others.  Owing  to  the 
decrease  in  provisions,  it  was  found  possible  to 
pack  everything  on  three  toboggans,  thus  enabling 
us  to  leave  ours  behind. 

While  awaiting  the  final  preparations  of  the 
guides,  we  took  advantage  of  the  delay  to  pay  a 
visit  to  the  house  which  had  been  offered  us  as  a 
shelter  for  the  night,  and  in  which,  much  to  our 
surprise,  were  several  sick  people. 

One  look  at  the  interior  was  quite  enough  to 
satisfy  us  that  we  had  done  the  proper  thing  in 
refusing  to  take  shelter  in  the  Indians*  house, 
although  at  the  time  not  knowing  that  there  were 
any  invalids 'therein. 

On  entering  the  house  we  found  that  there  was 
but  one  room,  absolutely  devoid  of  furniture  save 
a  big  box  stove.  On  the  floor  in  different  places 
were  heaped  up  piles  of  dirty  fur  and  dirtier 
blankets,  which  served  as  beds  for  the  inmates. 

At  the  end  of  the  room,  and  lying  on  one  of  the 
beds,  was  an  emaciated  old  woman,  apparently 
in  the  last  throes  of  tuberculosis,  a  sickening 
spectacle,  as  her  spasms  of  coughing  would  be 
followed  by  expectoration,  without  any  sanitary 
precaution  whatever. 

At  the  other  end  of  the  room,  seated  on  an  old 
soap  box,  was  her  son,  a  pitiable  sight,  ravished 
to  a  skeleton  by  a  form  of  tuberculosis  which  had 
become  located  in  his  neck,  completely  encircling 


320  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

it  with  running  sores.  Beside  him  sat  his  wife, 
also  a  victim  of  the  dread  disease,  while  on  the 
floor  lay  several  children. 

To  add  to  the  unsanitary  conditions,  the  floor 
and  walls  were  covered  with  filth,  and  the  window 
and  door  casings  were  chinked  with  scraps  of  fur. 
The  windows  were  covered  almost  to  the  bottom 
with  dirty  paper  sacks,  and  there  was  scarcely  an 
opening  where  light  or  air  was  being  admitted. 

While  in  conversation  with  them,  we  found 
that  these  people  had  been  invalids  for  a  number 
of  years,  and  their  first  inquiry  of  us  was  regarding 
the  possible  visit  of  a  doctor.  Medical  attention 
seemed  now  to  be  their  only  hope.  We  proffered 
advice  as  to  proper  living  conditions  with  regard 
to  ventilation,  light,  cleanliness,  and  food,  and  as 
we  did  so,  the  wife,  who  understood  English,  would 
inform  the  husband  of  our  conversation.  The 
woman  promised  us  that  she  would  remember  our 
counsel  and  take  advantage  of  it. 

As  the  first  streaks  of  dawn  were  appearing  in 
the  east,  we  were  scaling  the  hills  that  rise  to  an 
elevation  of  several  hundred  feet  back  of  New 
Post.  We  had  proceeded  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  along  the  apparently  level  ground,  when  the 
party  suddenly  saw  through  the  treetops  a  fiery 
object,  like  an  immense  balloon,  passing  overhead. 
Coming  to  a  standstill,  our  eyes  followed  it  until 
it  disappeared  from  sight.  It  was  an  immense 
meteor  with  a  beautiful,  long-extended  tail  of  blue, 


NEW  POST  TO  COCHRANE  321 

red,  and  yellow  fire,  which  did  not  seem  to  be  very 
far  away  from  the  earth.  It  soon  disappeared 
from  our  view,  and  we  were  left  an  astonished 
party,  the  event  having  transpired  in  so  brief  a 
time. 

The  guides  were  very  much  startled,  and  in 
fact  we  were  all  more  or  less  so,  a  few  moments 
later,  to  hear  a  tremendous  thud  accompanied  by 
vibrations,  almost  like  an  earthquake,  which 
echoed  and  re-echoed  throughout  the  surrounding 
hilltops.  It  was  with  much  difficulty  that  we 
described  the  phenomenon  to  the  guides,  whose 
scientific  knowledge,  of  course,  was  very  limited. 

The  portage  trail  on  which  we  started  out  that 
morning  was  fifteen  miles  long,  and  lay  through 
an  open  spruce  forest.  The  trees  were  laden  with 
snow  which  formed  them  into  all  kinds  of  fantastic 
shapes,  and  one  with  an  imaginative  mind  could 
fancy  himself  in  a  garden  adorned  by  the  most 
beautiful  statuary.  After  leaving  the  forest  and 
going  about  a  mile  on  the  river,  a  heavy  storm  set 
in  and  we  decided  to  stop  there  for  the  night.  On 
the  following  day,  only  fourteen  miles  were  made, 
and  camp  was  set  up  early  in  the  afternoon,  at  the 
lower  end  of  Island  portage,  a  point  on  the  river 
where  the  first  survey  for  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway  crossed. 

The  next  day's  tramp  proved  to  be  the  roughest 
of  the  river  journey.  The  portage  was  seven 
miles  long  and  the  trail  led  through  at  least  five 

ai 


322  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

miles  of  burnt  timber,  the  windfalls  of  which  were 
strewn  in  every  direction  across  the  trail,  ofttimes 
piled  up,  one  on  top  of  the  other,  half  a  dozen  deep, 
and  over  which  we  and  the  dogs  had  to  clamber. 
It  was  pleasant  news,  indeed,  when  the  guides 
called  out  "river  ahead"  and  we  shortly  saw  the 
end  of  the  trail  at  the  river,  several  hundred  feet 
below  us. 

It  was  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  appreciating 
the  morning's  accomplishment,  we  stopped  a  full 
hour  and  partook  of  a  well  earned  meal.  This  was 
the  very  last  portage  on  the  route,  the  balance  of 
the  journey  lying  entirely  on  the  river,  until  we 
would  leave  it  for  good  and  strike  across  country 
on  the  Government  road  to  Cochrane. 

Mac  had  not  arrived  by  the  time  dinner  was 
ready,  and  we  were  much  surprised  a  little  later 
to  see  his  dog  Nancy  sneak  into  camp,  dragging 
her  broken  harness  behind  her.  This  necessitated 
the  returning  of  the  dog,  a  couple  of  us  taking  her 
back  nearly  a  mile  to  where  Mac  was  found 
struggling  along  with  the  other  dog  and  vowing 
vengeance  on  the  truant  when  she  was  recovered. 

Early  in  the  afternoon  tracks  of  a  dog,  evidently 
astray,  were  seen.  We  supposed  it  belonged  to  the 
guide  of  the  party  ahead.  About  five  miles  farther 
on,  we  came  to  the  mouth  of  a  small  stream  flowing 
in  from  the  north.  Here  an  Indian  camp  was 
situated.  Charlie  called  on  one  of  the  Indians  and 
finding  that  the  stray  dog  had  been  caught,  agreed 


NEW  POST  TO  COCHRANE  323 

to  take  him  on  to  his  owner,  who  was  ahead.  This, 
of  course,  gave  us  another  dog — to  feed.  We 
found  that  he  had  little  strength  but  a  large 
appetite,  the  very  opposite  to  what  was  required. 
A  few  miles  farther  Half-way  Island  was  reached, 
midway  between  the  last  portage  and  the  mouth  of 
the  Frederickhouse  River,  and  camp  was  made  for 
the  night. 

Some  Indians,  who  were  drawing  moose  meat  to 
the  camp  we  visited  early  in  the  afternoon,  stopped 
to  speak  with  our  men  and  the  incident  closed  with 
the  happy  trade  of  a  quantity  of  meat  for  a  bottle 
of  Painkiller.  This  was  very  fortunate,  for  the 
dog  food  was  almost  finished.  The  shortage  was 
due  to  Mac's  carelessness,  for  in  his  haste  at  the 
start  from  Moose  Factory,  he  left  his  allowance  of 
meat  behind,  and  had  since  eaten  part  of  the  pork 
provided  for  the  dogs. 

The  following  day  was  December  the  twenty- 
eighth,  and  if  we  were  to  reach  Montreal  by  the 
New  Year,  it  was  necessary  to  be  in  Cochrane, 
which  was  still  thirty-six  miles  away,  before  the 
next  day  at  twelve  o'clock.  The  morning  was  very 
dark  and  it  was  snowing  hard,  but  we  determined 
to  accomplish  our  desired  end,  if  at  all  possible, 
so  we  two  were  on  the  way  by  five  o'clock  and 
breaking  the  trail  for  the  rest  of  the  party,  who 
were  soon  to  follow.  The  snow  lately  fallen  and 
drifted  had  made  the  trail  very  heavy. 

Everything  possible  to  facilitate  our  speed  had 


324  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

been  done.  Most  of  the  remaining  food  had  been 
left,  along  with  the  Indians'  blankets  and  extra 
clothes,  in  a  cache  made  at  the  last  camp,  for  we 
hoped  to  reach  Cochrane  without  setting  up  the 
tents  again. 

The  mouth  of  the  Frederickhouse  River  was 
reached  early  in  the  forenoon,  and  a  short  stop  for 
tea  was  made.  From  here  the  trail  led  for  thirteen 
miles  up  the  Frederickhouse  River  to  the  Govern- 
ment road,  which  leads  to  Cochrane.  The 
travelling  proved  very  heavy  for  both  man  and 
beast,  on  account  of  the  depth  of  snow.  About 
ten  miles  up  we  again  stopped  for  refreshment.  It 
was  then  nearly  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The 
prospects  for  reaching  our  destination  that  day 
were  brighter  as  it  had  stopped  snowing,  and  we 
hoped  that  the  Government  road  would  be  broken 
enough  to  permit  of  better  speed. 

Our  stop  was  a  brief  one,  and  after  going  a  mile 
we  came  upon  a  camp,  and  to  our  surprise,  found 
a  search  party  consisting  of  one  of  the  men  who 
had  been  in  the  Eastmain  River  party,  which  had 
returned  in  September,  and  a  half-breed  companion, 
with  two  large  toboggans  and  a  bevy  of  dogs,  on 
their  way  to  Moose  Factory  to  get  tidings  of  our 
party,  or  if  we  were  there,  to  help  bring  us  out. 
After  a  brief  consultation,  we  deemed  it  advisable 
to  send  them  on  to  meet  the  balance  of  the  expedi- 
tion and  aid  their  progress. 

After  taking  leave  of  the  relief  party,  we  set  out 


NEW  POST  TO  COCHRANE  325 

again  and  in  an  hour  were  mounting  the  steep  river 
bank  to  the  Government  road,  which  for  about 
three  or  four  miles  proved  to  be  nothing  but  a 
strip  of  cleared  land,  across  which  huge  logs  lay  in 
the  utmost  confusion. 

The  distance  by  road  to  Cochrane  from  the 
river  is  twelve  miles.  When  two  mileposts  were 
passed,  we  stopped  for  the  last  drink  of  tea  on  the 
trip.  Here  we  had  to  wait  long  for  Mac,  for  he 
was  now  well-nigh  exhausted,  and  eventually  one 
of  the  party  went  back  and  helped  the  dogs,  also 
well  worn  out,  to  pull  his  load  to  camp. 

It  was  growing  dark,  but  we  decided  to  make  a 
dash  for  the  town,  over  the  intervening  ten  miles 
or  more.  Before  starting,  all  the  provisions, 
cooking  utensils,  stoves,  etc.,  were  abandoned,  and 
knowing  that  Mac's  strength  was  failing  fast,  and 
not  likely  to  last  out  until  Cochrane  was  reached, 
he  was  advised  to  stay  there  and  camp  until  the 
morning,  and  then  to  proceed.  This  he  would  not 
do,  and  although  there  was  little  on  his  toboggan, 
he  refused  to  carry  our  sleeping  bag  any  farther, 
declaring  that  with  it  abandoned,  he  would  be  in 
town  as  soon  as  we.  Removing  our  sleeping  bag 
and  declining  our  proffered  tea,  he  started  ahead. 

It  was  quite  dark  when  we  were  again  on  the 
trail.  The  hour  that  followed  was  one  of  the  worst 
in  our  experience.  One  of  us  had  been  using  snow- 
shoes  only  when  it  was  absolutely  necessary,  and 
unfortunately  had  loaned  them  to  one  of  the 


326  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

guides,  while  the  latter  had  lashed  his  own  to  one 
of  the  toboggans,  so  the  former  was  continually 
plunging  to  his  hips  in  the  soft  snow,  where  it  had 
bridged  the  gap  between  two  or  more  fallen  trees. 
As  the  moon  had  not  yet  risen,  it  was  impossible  to 
see  ahead  of  us,  and  we  had  to  steer  our  way  along 
the  sinuous  trail  by  the  sense  of  feeling.  It  took 
a  full  hour  to  go  a  distance  of  two  miles — to  the 
first  cross-road,  but  great  was  our  joy,  when  this 
was  reached,  to  find  that  it  was  free  from  logs  and 
graded. 

The  lights  of  the  town  reflected  in  the  sky  came 
into  view,  and  the  conversation  turned  to  a  beef- 
steak supper,  for  with  this  in  mind  we  had  taken 
practically  nothing  since  morning  but  tea  and  a 
few  sweet  biscuits,  having  discarded  the  balance 
of  the  provisions  when  leaving  the  morning  camp. 

The  party  was  doomed  to  disappointment,  for 
soon  it  was  reluctantly  decided  to  abandon  the 
idea  of  proceeding,  as  our  progress  was  unavoid- 
ably slow  owing  to  the  depth  of  the  snow  and  the 
hour  was  growing  late.  We  camped  at  a  spot 
where  the  search  party  had  spent  the  night  pre- 
vious. Mac  had  been  passed  near  the  turn  on  the 
graded  road,  where  he  was  preparing  to  camp 
for  the  night,  so  there  was  no  likelihood  of  his 
reaching  Cochrane  that  night. 

That  camp  will  be  a  long  remembered  one  for  its 
discomforts.  With  no  stove,  it  was  impossible 
to  use  the  tent,  and  hence  a  shelter  of  poles  and 


NEW  POST  TO  COCHRANE  327 

brush  had  to  be  used  in  conjunction  with  an  open 
fire.  To  make  matters  worse,  there  was  practically 
no  dry  wood  to  be  found.  Our  throats  were 
parched  and  dry,  but  the  tea  pails  had  been  left 
behind  and  there  was  nothing  in  which  snow  could 
be  melted.  At  last,  while  fixing  up  a  bed  of  boughs, 
one  of  the  guides  found  an  empty  quarter  pound 
tobacco  tin  that  had  been  discarded  by  the  party 
camping  there  before  us.  Our  satisfaction  may 
well  be  imagined  as  we  grouped  ourselves  around 
the  fire,  and  melting  snow  in  the  tin  each  drank  the 
full  of  the  common  cup.  It  is  just  such  conditions 
of  privation  as  these  that  make  all  men  brothers 
and  remove  the  barriers  of  social  caste. 

As  the  Indians  had  left  their  bedding  behind,  we 
shared  ours  with  them  and  lay  down  with  our  feet 
to  the  open  fire.  Our  blankets  being  divided 
between  the  party  of  four,  left  little  for  any  of  us, 
and  for  the  first  time  in  our  experience  we  were 
compelled  to  keep  our  clothes  on  throughout  the 
night,  although  they  were  wet  with  perspiration. 

With  sore  and  aching  bodies  from  travelling 
twenty-nine  miles  the  day  before  and  hungry 
beyond  description,  we  found  ourselves  again  on 
the  trail  the  next  morning  long  before  daylight. 
Some  very  high  hills  were  encountered,  and  weary 
from  lack  of  sleep  and  food,  we  could  scarcely 
climb  them.  With  the  approach  of  daylight,  a 
most  welcome  sight  appeared,  a  settler's  cabin. 

Coming  up  to  it,  we  went  straight  way  to  the  door 


328  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

to  inquire  the  distance  to  the  town,  despite  the 
fact  that  the  occupants  were  not  yet  up.  Our 
knocking  on  the  door  was  soon  answered  by  a 
kindly  man  who  opened  it  and  immediately  invited 
us  all  in  and  gave  us  refreshment. 

With  more  than  ordinary  enjoyment  we  de- 
voured thick  slices  of  beautiful,  fresh  home-made 
bread,  between  which  were  laid  pieces  of  the  most 
delicious  Bologna  sausage,  and  drank  cup  after 
cup  of  refreshing  tea,  all  made  by  the  generous 
housewife.  The  true  meaning  of  the  words  of  the 
Great  Teacher,  "I  was  an  hungered  and  ye  gave 
me  meat,"  was  never  so  fully  realized  by  us  as 
when  we  ate  our  breakfast  that  morning,  and  when 
we  left  the  humble  cabin,  it  was  with  a  prayer  that 
the  reward  which  was  to  follow  such  acts  might  be 
fully  meted  out  to  our  kind  benefactors. 

It  was  still  seven  miles  to  the  town,  but  when 
once  again  on  the  trail,  we  were  like  new  men, 
ready  if  need  be  to  run  to  our  destination.  Soon 
the  settlers'  cabins  became  more  numerous  and  the 
rough  log  huts  gave  way  to  neatly  clapboarded 
cottages.  Finally  teams  were  met  on  the  road  and 
fancy  sleighs  in  which  were  families  on  their  way 
to .  church,  for  it  was  Sunday.  We  arrived  in 
Cochrane  at  ten  o'clock,  exactly  eleven  days  to  the 
minute  from  the  time  of  our  leaving  Moose  Fac- 
tory, having  travelled  on  an  average  of  nineteen 
miles  per  day. 

Was  it  a  dream?     No,  we  were  once  more  in  the 


NEW  POST  TO  COCHRANE^  329 

realm  of  modern  life,  the  place  of  big  cities  and 
large  business.  We  were  practically  home,  after 
a  trip  of  over  eighteen  hundred  miles  by  canoe, 
motor  boat,  and  dog  team,  most  of  which  had  been 
over  that  wonderful  stretch  of  inland  ocean,  Hud- 
son Bay,  and  the  almost  unexplored  Eastmain 
Coast  of  our  own  beloved  Province,  and  terminat- 
ing through  the  forested  river  valleys  of  Northern 
Ontario.  . 

What  a  sensation  it  was  to  once  more  see  the 
long  telegraph  lines,  that  would  in  a  few  minutes 
be  the  bearer  of  a  message  to  loved  ones,  telling 
that  we  were  alive  and  well  and  not  lost  as  the 
newspapers  had  reported ;  to  see  the  railway  trains 
as  they  passed  swiftly  along  the  strips  of  shining 
steel,  and  to  know  that  in  two  brief  hours  they 
would  be  carrying  us  at  a  high  rate  of  speed  to  our 
homes;  to  enter  a  modern  hotel  and  partake  of  our 
first  meal  in  civilization  during  a  lapse  of  eight 
months ! 

Two  days  were  spent  in  reaching  our  final  de- 
stination, which  gave  us  ample  time  to  make  a 
resume  of  our  trip.  The  chief  object  of  the  expe- 
dition had  been  accomplished,  although  weather 
conditions  had  forced  us  to  curtail  our  program 
considerably. 

The  fact  had  been  established  beyond  all  doubt 
of  the  existence  of  an  almost  inexhaustible  supply 
of  iron  ore  on  certain  of  the  islands  of  Hudson 
Bay.  Our  opinion  that  the  country  east  of  the 


330  IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 

Bay  is  rich  in  minerals,  and  that,  amongst  others, 
diamonds  will  eventually  be  found,  was  strength- 
ened. 

The  water  powers  of  the  east  coast  were  also 
found  to  be  among  Canada's  largest,  and  capable 
of  economical  development,  either  for  mining  or 
smelting  purposes,  or  for  transporting  the  products 
of  the  interior  to  the  coast. 

On  the  east  coast  of  James  Bay  from  Rupert 
House  to  Cape  Jones,  pulp  wood  was  found  to  be 
plentiful,  especially  on  the  rivers  flowing  into  the 
Bay.  That  there  will  be  pulp  and  paper  industries 
in  these  localities  in  the  future  is  absolutely  assured. 

That  same  portion  of  country  is  also  of  an  agri- 
cultural nature,  and  it  will  only  be  a  matter  of 
time  until  it  is  opened  up  by  settlers.  Samples  of 
vegetables  that  were  brought  out  and  sent  to  the 
governments  elicited  the  greatest  surprise  and 
commendation  from  Premiers  and  Cabinet 
Ministers,  which  is  proof  enough  of  the  fact  that 
with  the  long  summer  days  of  these  northern 
latitudes,  vegetables  and  grains  can  be  raised  in  the 
greatest  profusion. 

In  considering  the  future  of  the  country,  we 
could  not  overlook  some  of  its  present  pressing 
needs.  Its  natives  are  scattered  along  a  coast  line 
of  many  hundred  miles,  without  any  opportunity 
for  medical  attention,  with  the  exception  of  what 
the  Factors  and  the  Missionaries  can  give  them. 
These  people  should  be  supplied,  at  some  central 


NEW  POST  TO  COCHRANE  331 

location,  say  at  Fort  George,  with  an  hospital, 
doctors,  and  nurses.  The  need  of  these  is  just  as 
great  as  it  is  on  the  Labrador  coast  where  Dr. 
Grenfell  is  doing  so  much  for  the  natives.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Walton  is  endeavouring  to  carry  on  a 
similar  work,  but  has  very  little  outside  help,  and 
we  could  not  but  feel  that  he  should  have  the 
support  and  recognition  of  the  people  at  the 
11  front, "  in  the  great  work  that  he  is  doing  among 
the  natives  of  that  vast  and  practically  unknown 
country. 

At  six  o'clock  on  the  last  evening  of  the  year,  we 
arrived  in  Montreal,  after  an  absence  of  nearly 
eight  months.  In  all  that  time,  we  had  only  once 
received  messages  from  home.  Only  those  who 
have  travelled  under  similar  circumstances  as  we, 
can  appreciate  our  feelings  when  we  caught  sight 
of  the  eager  faces  of  our  friends  in  the  crowd 
awaiting  the  train's  arrival. 


APPENDIX 


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APPENDIX 


335 


336 


IN  CANADA'S  NORTHLAND 


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INDEX 


Abitibi  River:  islands  in  mouth 
of,  311;  dinner  at  mouth  of, 

3?3 

Agricultural  possibilities  of 
James  Bay  district,  330 

Albany  Rapids,  29 

Anchor:  breaking  of,  at  Nas- 
tapoka  River,  189;  impro- 
vised, at  Clark  Island,  194 

Anderson,  Bishop:  arrival  of, 
at  Rupert  House,  64;  arrival 
of,  at  Fort  George,  124; 
service  with  Eskimos  at 
Cape  Jones,  140;  at  little 
Cape  Jones  River,  147;  ar- 
rival Great  Whale  River,  153 

Anderson  Island,  172 

Baggage-packsacks,  dunnage 
bags,  special  chests,  13; 
portaging  of,  18 

Barker,  Miss,  teacher  and 
nurse  at  mission,  Moose 
Factory,  293 

Beaver  Portage,  30 

Belanger  Island,  171 

Big  River:  channel  at  entrance 
to,  112;  arrival  at,  113; 
garden  at,  in  1907,  116; 
the  mission  at,  116;  harbour 
at,  119;  proposed  experi- 
mental farm  at,  120;  arrival 
at,  from  North,  229;  swift 
current  of,  230 

Big  Stone,  54 

Black  Feather  Rapids:  cache 
at,  32;  arrival  at,  34;  shoot- 
ing of,  with  motor  boats, 
35;  accident  in,  36 

Blacksmith's  Rapids,  lignite 
at,  47 

Boat     Opening,     Manitounuk 


Sound,  159;  current  through, 
205;  passage  through,  205 

Boats  (motor)  used  in  1912: 
requirements  for,  4;  specifi- 
cations for,  5;  fuel  for,  5; 
outfit  for,  6;  propeller  of, 
92;  hauling  over  portages  41 

Boatswain  Bay:  crossing  of, 
86;  storm  on,  262 

Broadback  River:  arrival  at, 
78;  soil  in  vicinity  of,  80; 
hay  at,  80;  green  flies  at, 
81;  return  from,  82 

Brunswick  Lake,  25 

Brunswick  Portage,  25 

Brunswick  Post,  17 

Brunswick  Rapids,  17       \ 

Cabbage  Willows  Bay,  goose 
hunting  at,  86 

Canoes:  proposed  for  expedi- 
tion, 6;  purchased,  9 

Cape  Hope  Islands,  102;  de- 
scription of,  104;  harbours 
at,  105;  feldspathic  dyke  on, 

105 

Cape  Jones:  ice  field  at,  135, 
J36,  137;  danger  of  navigat- 
ing in  vicinity  of,  135;  Eski- 
mo camp  at,  135,  137;  ap- 
pearance of,  136;  harbour 
at,  137;  camp  at,  138;  visit 
from  Eskimos  at,  138;  hills 
at,  142;  mosquitoes  at,  143; 
departure  from,  for  North, 
143;  change  in  character  of 
coast  at,  145;  second  round- 
ing of,  223,  224;  second  camp 
at,  224;  visit  of  Eskimos  at, 
224 ;  salmon  trout  and  white- 
fish  at,  225;  departure  from, 
for  South,  225 


337 


338 


INDEX 


Cedar  Creek,  316 

Clark  Island:  arrival  at,  172; 
length  of  cruise  to,  172; 
camp  at,  172;  iron  ore  on, 
173;  mosquitoes  at,  173, 
193;  storm  at,  174-179; 
arrival  of  Strong's  party  at, 
179;  snowstorm  at,  180; 
departure  from,  for  Nas- 
tapoka  River,  182 ;  return  to, 
from  Nastapoka  River,  192; 
departure  from,  for  South, 
194 

Clay  Falls,  Abitibi  River,  316 

Coal  Brook,  kaolin  near,  46 

Comb  Hills  Islands:  trap  dykes 
at,  1 08;  White  Bear  Island 
at,  108;  harbours  at,  108, 
246;  camp  at,  246;  wood  and 
water  at,  247;  storm  at,  247 

Conjuring  House  Falls:  river 
above,  37;  camp  at,  38;  sun- 
set at,  38 ;  clearing  of  portage 
at,  40;  accident  above,  40 

Crooked  Lake,  14 

Crow  Rapids,  30 

Devil's  Chute,  29 

Diamonds,  possibility  of  dis- 
covery of,  330 

Dipple  Rapids,  24 

Discoveries,  expedition  1907, 
i 

Dobie,  O.  L.  S.,  Mr.  James, 
299 ;  carries  out  our  mail,  299 

Dog  Lake,  14 

Draulette,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  296 

Duck  Island,  160 

Earthquake  Island,  legend  of, 
•244 

Eastmain  River:  rough  sea 
off  mouth  of,  93;  arrival  at, 
94;  channels  at  entrance  to, 
94,  102;  explorations  on,  in 
JQ0?.  955  garden  products 
at,  98;  soil  at,  99;  grain  at, 
99;  cattle  at,  99;  timber  at, 
99;  soil  and  timber  on  upper 


river,  100;  departure  from, 
101 ;  arrival  at,  from  North, 
254;  shoals  at  entrance  to, 
254;  more  trouble  with  dogs 
at,  256;  stormy  weather  at, 
257;  preparations  for  leav- 
ing, for  South,  259 ;  departure 
from,  260;  arrival  of  Strong's 
party  at,  302 

East  Point,  55;  storm  off,  281 
Equipment  for  expedition,  8; 
breaking  of  anchor,  189; 
improvised  anchor,  194; 
improvised  baking  oven, 
216;  improvised  stove,  265; 
breaking  of  rudder,  277; 
repairing  of  rudder,  278 
Eskimos:  camp  of,  at  Wasti- 
kon,  129;  camp  of,  at  Cape 
Jones,  135,  137;  visit  of,  at 
Cape  Jones,  138;  form  of 
greeting,  138;  appearance  of, 
139;  clothing  of,  139;  gener- 
osity of,  139;  at  Little  Cape 
Jones  River,  147;  Husky 
Bill,  the  guide,  147;  at 
Great  Whale  River,  recep- 
tion to  Bishop  Anderson, 
I54»  155;  at  Little  Whale 
River,  167;  handicrafts  com- 
pared with  those  of  Indians, 
201;  industry  of,  208;  love 
of  music,  21 1 ;  wit  of,  212; 
photographing  of,  213;  in 
kyaks  off  Sucker  Creek,  217 

Fairy  Point,  Missinaibi  Lake, 
16 

Fifteen  Mile  Portage,  Abitibi 
River,  321 

Fish:  salmon  trout  from  Es- 
kimo at  Wastikon,  130;  sal- 
mon trout  and  whitefish 
from  Eskimos  at  Cape  Jones, 
139;  salmon  trout  at  Nasta- 
poka River,  190;  salmon 
trout  and  whitefish  at  Cape 
Jones,  225 

Flint  Island,  170 


INDEX 


339 


Flowers:  on  McFarlane  Island, 
89;  on  island  in  vicinity  of 
Paul  Bay,  133 

Food:  allotment  per  man  per 
day,  7;  selected  for  trip  to 
Cochrane  on  the  ice,  300 

Fort  George:  arrival  at,  113; 
desertion  of  guides  (Strong's) 
at,  114;  garden  at,  in  1907, 
116;  the  mission  at,  116; 
departure  from,  126;  arrival 
at,  from  North,  230;  recep- 
tion at,  230;  arrival  of  Com- 
pany's York  boat  fromCharl- 
ton,  233;  welcome  to  crew, 
233;  fears  for  safety  of  ship 
from  Montreal,  233;  sunset 
at,  234;  more  trouble  with 
dogs  at,  235-236;  hospitality 
of  residents  of,  237;  storm 
at,  238;  accident  to  canoe 
at,  239;  rescue  of  canoe  at, 
240;  arrival  of  Strong's 
party  at,  on  way  southward, 
240;  departure  from,  south- 
ward, 242 

Frederickhouse  River,  arrival 
at  mouth  of,  324 

Frost,  first  of  season,  233 

Gillies  Island,  183 

Glass  Falls,  30 

Gordon  Island,  183 

Government  road  to  Cochrane, 
325 

Governor  Island:  at  mouth  of 
Eastmain  River,  94;  har- 
bour at,  94,  102 

Great  Whale  River:  arrival  at, 
153;  scenery  at,  153;  H.  B. 
Company's  Post  at,  153, 
154;  reception  of  Bishop 
Anderson  and  Joseph,  the 
guide,  at,  154;  departure 
from,  156;  channels  at  en- 
trance to,  157;  arrival  at, 
from  North,  205;  Harold 
Undgarten,  chief  servant  at, 
206;  squared  timber  at, 


206;  Eskimo  church  at, 
209;  Mr.  Walton's  mission- 
ary work  at,  210-2 12 ;  grama- 
phone  at,  21 1 ;  Sunday  ob- 
servance at,  212;  departure 
from,  215 

Green  Hill  Portage,  21 ;  rapids 
at,  21 

Griffith,  A.  O.,  Factor  at  Fort 
George:  canoe  journey  of 
wife  and  child,  101 ;  meeting 
with,  on  Pride,  245;  camp 
with,  245 

Guides  for  Missinaibi  River, 
9;  trouble  with,  at  Moose 
Factory,  49;  mutiny  of,  60; 
dismissal  of,  65 

Guides  from  Rupert  House: 
employment  of,  65;  de- 
sertion of,  at  Fort  George, 
144 

Guides  from  Fort  George: 
Joseph,  the  Bishop's  guide, 
126;  Husky  Bill,  147 

Guides  at  Loon  Point,  248 

Guides  for  proposed  canoe 
trip  southward  from  Moose 
Factory,  impossibility  of  ob- 
taining, 289 

Guides  for  winter  trip,  300, 
305 

Half-way  Island,  Abitibi  River, 

323 

Hannah  Bay:  shores  of,  54; 
voyage  across,  55;  heat 
experienced  on,  56;  recross- 
ing  of,  284;  storm  on,  in 
1907,284 

Harricanaw  River,  55 

Haythornthwaite,  Rev.  Wm., 
50;  reception  by,  on  our 
return  to  Moose  Factory, 
288;  interest  in  agriculture, 
293;  valuable  assistance 
given  by  Mrs.  Haythorn- 
thwaite and  Miss  Barker, 

293 
Hearst,  Ont.,  33 


340 


INDEX 


Height  of  Land,  Ont.,  14 

Hell's  Gate,  43;  shooting  rap- 
ids at,  44;  accident  at,  47 

High  Rock  Island,  102;  lack  of 
vegetation  on,  103;  camp 
on, 104 

Hudson  Bay:  appearance  of 
coast  south  of  Great  Whale 
River,  153;  topography  of 
coast  in  vicinity  of  Little 
Whale  River,  164 

Hudson  Bay  Railway,  viii 

Hudson  Bay  route  through 
Hudson  Straits,  viii 

Hudson's  Bay  Company's  Post 
at  Rupert  House:  vegetable 
garden  at,  68 

Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
Post  at  Eastmain  River, 
94;  arrival  at,  from  North, 
255;  departure  of  Indians 
from,  255;  residence  in  car- 
penter shop  at,  256;  dinner 
parties  at,  257 

Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
Post  at  Big  River:  arrival 
at,  113;  desertion  of  guides 
at,  114;  garden  at,  in  1907, 
116;  the  mission  at,  116; 
departure  from,  126;  arrival 
at,  from  North,  230;  recep- 
tion at,  230;  scarcity  of 
provisions  at,  231;  ammuni- 
tion exhausted  at,  234 

Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
Post  at  Great  Whale  River: 
arrival  at,  154;  appearance 
of,  154;  reception  to  Bishop 
Anderson  and  Joseph,  the 
guide,  at,  154;  scarcity  of 
food  at,  155;  departure  from, 
for  North,  156;  Harold  Und- 
garten,  chief  servant  at, 
206;  site  of,  206;  grass  at, 
206;  buildings  at,  206; 
squared  timber  at,  206 ;  trade 
at,  207;  the  oil  house  at, 
213;  departure  from  ,215 

Husky  dogs:  Indians'  at  Ru- 


pert House,  73;  depreda- 
tions of,  at  Moose  Factory, 
74;  depredations  of,  at  Ru- 
pert House,  75,  77;  precau- 
tions against,  at  Rupert 
House,  76;  depredations  of, 
at  Eastmain  River,  97 

Ice  fields:  off  Cape  Jones, 
135.  136,  137;  in  Long  Island 
Sound,  138;  cause  of,  140; 
passage  of,  144 

Indians:  wedding  of,  at  Rupert 
House,  70;  curiosity  con- 
cerning motor  boats,  84; 
methods  of  marking  camping 
places,  109;  gratitude  of, 
237>  238;  wigwams  of,  237; 
pilots  at  Loon  Point,  248; 
supper  at  Paint  Hills  Is- 
lands, 249;  sick,  at  New 
Post,  319;  need  of  medical 
care,  330 

Iron  ore:  on  Clark  Island,  133; 
on  Nastapoka  Islands,  329 

Island  Portage,  Abitibi  River, 
321 

James  Bay:  character  of  south 
shore  of,  54;  harbours  on, 
58;  east  coast  of,  shoals, 
107;  currents,  108;  character 
of  east  coast  of,  144,  145 

Jobson,  C.  J.  R.,  Factor  of 
Eastmain  River  Post,  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company,  95 

Kaolin    on   Missinaibi  River, 

46 
Kettle  Portage,  37 

Length  of  day,  in  northern 
latitudes,  104;  at  Great 
Whale  River,  208;  in  Hudson 
Straits,  209 

Little  Cape  Jones:  ice  at,  146; 
appearance  of ,  147;  rounding 
of,  147 


INDEX 


Little  Cape  Jones  River:  Eski- 
mos at,  147;  Bishop  Ander- 
son at,  147;  mosquitoes  at, 
148;  ice  field  at,  148 

Little  Whale  River:  topo- 
graphy of  coast  in  vicinity 
of,  164;  adventure  at,  in 
1907,  164;  arrival  at,  165; 
entrance  to,  165;  scenery 
at,  1 66,  167;  geological 
formation  at,  166;  Eskimos 
at,  168;  camp  at,  168;  de- 
parture from,  170 

Long  Island  Sound:  length  of, 
144;  appearance  of  main- 
land of,  145;  islands  in,  145; 
landmarks  on,  145;  ice  in, 
146;  passage  southward 
through,  217;  anchorage  in, 
219;  storm  in,  219;  trouble 
with  boat  in,  220-223 

Long  Opening,  Abitibi  River, 
316 

Long  Portage,  Missinaibi 
River,  43 

Long  Rapids,  Abitibi  River, 
316 

Long  Rapids,  Missinaibi  River, 
20 

Loon    Island,    109;   camp   on, 

243 

Loon  Point:  shoals  at,  248; 
Indian  pilots  at,  248 


Manitounuk  Sound:  entrance 
to,  157;  harbours  in,  157; 
camp  in,  157;  passage 
through,  158;  appearance  of, 
158,  159;  openings  of,  159; 
camp  at  Castle  Rock  in, 
205;  passage  southward 
through,  205 

Mattagami  River,  junction  of, 
with  Missinaibi  River,  47 

McCall,  Mr.,  of  North  Rail- 
way Company:  meeting  with, 
279;  leaves  Moose  Factory 
for  Cochrane  by  canoe,  289, 


291;   failure   of   canoe   trip, 
291 

McFarlane  Island:  camp  at, 
87;  storms  at,  88;  wild  ducks 
at,  89;  shoals  around,  90 

Meteor  at  New  Post,  320 

Middleton  Island:  arrival  at, 
78;  storm  at,  79;  departure 
from,  82 

Miller  Island,  183 

Ministikawatin  Peninsula : 
shore  of,  57;  timber  on,  59; 
coasting  along,  by  moon- 
light, 276;  accident  off,  277; 
repairs  to  broken  rudder  at, 
278;  shoals  off,  281 

Missinaibi  Crossing,  30;  resi- 
dency, 31;  arrival  at,  32; 
departure  from,  34 

Missinaibi  Lake,  15,  17 

Missinaibi  Portage  route,  12; 
advantages  of,  57 

Missinaibi  Station,  12 

Mission  at  Moose  Factory,  51; 
reception  at,  on  return  from 
North,  288;  take  up  our 
residence  at  mission  house, 
290;  entertainment  at,  292; 
vegetables  grown  at,  293, 
294;  cattle  at,  293;  grain 
grown  at,  293;  farm  machi- 
nery at,  294 

Mission  at  Rupert  House: 
gardens  of,  68;  Indians  con- 
firmed at,  75 

Mission  at  Fort  George,  116; 
the  mission  house,  116; 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Walton  and 
his  work,  116-119;  sermon 
at,  by  Bishop  Anderson, 
124;  church  building,  125 

Moose  Factory:  arrival  at, 
from  South,  48;  trouble 
with  Indians  at,  49 ;  Revillon 
Post  at,  50;  industrial  school 
at,  51;  mission  day  school 
at,  51;  departure  from,  for 
North,  53;  arrival  at,  from 
North,  286;  reception  at, 


342 


INDEX 


Moose  Factory — Continued 
288;  old  journal  at,  295; 
river  freezes  at,  295;  hunting 
begins,  295;  wedding  at, 
296;  arrival  of  prospector 
from  Rupert  House  with 
news  from  Strong's  party, 
301;  Mr.  Strong's  arrival 
at,  302;  preparations  for 
our  departure  from,  for 
Cochrane,  303-306;  the  start 
from,  306 

Moose  River,  47;  character  of 
lower,  53;  arrival  at,  from 
North,  286;  current  in,  286 

Nastapoka  Falls:  first  view  of, 
183;  height  of,  184,  1 86; 
spray  from,  185;  description 
of,  1 86 

Nastapoka  River:  departure 
from  Clark  Island  for,  182; 
channel  at  mouth  of,  183; 
camp  at,  184;  lack  of  wood 
at,  185;  search  for  wood  at, 
1 88;  loss  of  anchor  at,  189; 
salmon  trout  at,  190;  de- 
parture from,  190 

Nastapoka  Sound:  navigation 
of,  170;  physical  characteris- 
tics of,  171 ;  geological  struc- 
ture of  islands  of,  171; 
harbours  in,  183;  protection 
afforded  in,  183;  rough  run 
from  Nastapoka  River  to 
Clark  Island  in,  191 

Navigation  of  James  Bay,  dif- 
ficulties of,  76 

New  Post:  arrival  at,  317; 
camp  at,  318;  Christmas  at, 
318;  sick  Indians  at,  319; 
departure  from,  320 

Old  Factory  Bay:  harbour  at 
north  point  of,  251;  snow- 
storm at,  251,  252;  harbour 
and  camp  on  south  side  of, 
253;  Indian  camp  at,  253; 


our   provisions    almost     ex- 
hausted, 254 
Opizatiki  River,  46 

Paint  Hills  Islands:  landmark, 
105;  iron  pyrites  on,  105; 
Walrus  Island,  106;  har- 
bours at,  106,  249;  storm  at, 
250;  geese  at,  250 

Partridge  Point:  harbour  at, 
261;  camp  at,  262 

Paul  Bay,  133 ;  flowers  on  island 
in  vicinity  of,  133;  camp  on 
shoal  island  off,  226 

Personnel  of  1912  expedition,  2 

Pipestone  Gutway:  camp  on 
island  in,  130;  passage 
through,  132;  nature  of 
channel  through,  132;  pass- 
age outside  of,  226 

Plover  Islands,  55;  appearance 
of,  282;  anchorage  at,  282; 
to  Big  Stone  from,  284 

Point  Comfort,  59 

Porpoises  in  Hannah  Bay,  55 

Portage  Island,  47 

Provisions  selected]  for  trip 
to  Cochrane  on  ice,  300 

Pulp  wood  around  James  Bay, 
330 

Quebec:  area  v;  boundaries, 
v;  population,  yi;  resources, 
vii;  climate,  vii;  railways, 
viii;  James  Bay  coast  of, 
54 

Resume,  329-331 

Revillon  Freres,  Moose  River 

Post,  50;  description  of,  51; 

visit    to,    on    return    from 

North,    295;    farewell    visit 

to,  302 
Revillon  Freres,  Rupert  River 

Post:  vegetable  gardens  at, 

67;  live  stock  at,  67 
Revillon      Freres,    _  Eastmain 

River  Post :  establishment  of, 

94;  landslide  at,  255 


INDEX 


343 


Revillon  Freres,  Big  River 
Post:  managers  of,  125 

Revillon  Freres,  Port  Harrison 
Post,  125;  furs  traded  at, 

I25 

Richmond  Gulf:  origin  of 
"dirty"  weather  in,  193; 
end  of  Salmon  Fisher's  Trail 
on,  202;  Eskimo  camp  at 
entrance  to,  203;  current 
at  entrance  to,  204;  view 
of  falls  of  Wiachuan  River 
across,  204 

Rock  Island  Chute,  34 

Ross  Island,  171 

Route  of  expedition  1912,  i; 
of  expedition  1907,  4 

Rupert  Bay,  navigation  of 
southern  part,  77,  85 

Rupert  House:  arrival  at,  62; 
advance  party's  departure 
from,  for  North,  65;  soil  at, 
69;  timber  at,  69;  harbour  at, 
69;  a  wedding  at,  70;  green 
flies  at,  71;  arrival  of  S.  S. 
Amelia  at,  71;  Strong's 
party's  trip  Eastmain  River 
tof  3°35  Strong's  party's  at- 
tempt to  reach  Moose  Fac- 
tory by  canoe,  303 


Salmon  Fisher's  Cove:  rough 
weather  encountered  be- 
tween Clark  Island  and,  195; 
anchorage  at,  196;  camp  at, 
196;  difficulties  with  boat  at, 
196-198;  running  surf  at, 
197;  tree  limit,  199;  depar- 
ture from,  203 

Salmon  Fisher's  Trail:  trees 
at,  199;  views  from,  200; 
cliffs  near,  200,  201;  lake 
beside,  200;  sea  beach  on 
cliffs  near,  201;  Eskimo 
salmon  spears,  201;  Table 
Mountain,  202;  remains  of 
Eskimos'  camp,  202;  return 
along,  303 


Sawayan,  59;  anchorage  near, 
273;  searching  for  Indians 
at,  273 

Seals,  value  and  uses  of,  2O> 
Search    party,   meeting   with, 

324 

Second  River:  Strong's  camp 
at,  1 60;  harbour  at,  160; 
Eskimos  at,  160;  meeting 
Strong's  party  at,  161; 
change  of  plans  at,  161; 
departure  from,  164;  har- 
bours between  Second  River 
and  Little  Whale  River,  164 

Shepherd  Islands:  camping 
place  on,  105 

Sherrick  Mount,  86;  camp  on 
island  off,  263;  trouble  with 
boat,  263;  second  camp  on 
island,  265;  route  to  Moose 
Factory  from,  266 

Split  Rock:  landmark,  145; 
failure  to  find  harbour  at, 
218 

Split  Rock  Falls,  23 

Stag  Rock,  85 

Store  Portage,  43 

St.  Paul's  Rapids  (Thundering 
Water),  23 

Stromness  harbour,  127;  camp 
at,  127;  insects  in  water  at, 
127 

Sucker  Creek:  harbour  at, 
148;  mosquitoes  at,  149— 
152;  scenery  at,  149;  depar- 
ture from,  152;  meeting 
with  Eskimos  in  vicinity 
of,  217 

Swampy  Ground  (Little),  20; 
(Big),  21 

Table  Mountain,  202 
Taylor  Island,  183 
Tree  limit,  199 

Undgarten,  Harold,  chief  ser- 
vant, Great  Whale  River 
Post,  206 


The 

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A    Revised    and   Enlarged    Edition    of 
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The  Conquest  of 
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The  Story  of  Three  Expeditions  through  the  Alaskan  Wilder- 
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company  with  Prof*  Herschel  Parker  has  made 
the  most  persistent,  heroic,  and  inspiring  efforts 
to  conquer  North  America's  most  formidable 
natural  wonder,  the  highest  mountain  of  the 
continent*  To  have  stood  as  it  were  on  the  house- 
top of  the  "Western  World,  after  days  of  desperate 
climbing,  is  an  achievement  the  mere  contempla- 
tion of  which  must  stir  every  adventuring  nature 
to  its  depths.  Here  is  an  account  of  hardship 
successfully  overcome,  of  a  new  area  added  to  the 
charted  regions  of  the  world,  an  account  which 
is  supplemented  by  a  remarkable  series  of  photo- 
graphs taken  in  the  high  altitudes  and  by  many 
excellent  illustrations  in  color  and  in  black  and 
white  especially  prepared  for  the  present  volume 
by  Mr*  Belmore  Browne* 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


Mountaineering    and 
Exploration  in  the 

Selkirks 

A  Record  of  Pioneer  Work  among  the 
Canadian  Alps,  1908-1912 

By  Howard  Palmer 

Corresponding  Member  of  the  Geographical  Society 

of  Philadelphia,  Fellow  of  the  Royal 

Geographical  Society 

With  219  Illustrations  and  2  Mew  Maps. 
$5.00  net.    By  mail,  $5.25 

A  contribution  to  the  description  and 
history  of  a  region  that  has  been  sadly 
neglected.  The  author  is  the  first  to 
have  surveyed  and  photographed  a  large 
territory  of  the  Selkirks,  covering  about 
600  square  miles  in  the  northerly  part. 
His  superb  photographs,  some  taken 
from  the  top  of  the  loftiest  peaks,  are 
a  great  addition  to  this  important  and 
fascinating  work. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


Fremont  and  '49 

The  Story  of  a  Remarkable  Career  and  its  Relation  to 

the  Exploration  and  Development  of  our  Western 

Territory,  Especially  of  California 

By  Frederick  S.  Dellenbaugh 

8°.     With  Frontispiece  in  Color  and  48  Other 
Illustrations.     $4. SO  net.     By  mail,  $4.75 

One  ot  tfie  most  interesting  and 
dramatic  careers  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, in  the  United  States,  was 
that  of  John  Charles  Fremont, 
born  1 00  years  ago.  His  name 
was  early  linked  with  the  explora- 
tion of  the  then  very  wild  West, 
and  particularly  with  our  acqui- 
sition of  California.  He  also 
loomed  large  in  politics,  and,  in 
1856,  became  the  first  candidate 
of  the  Republican  party  for  the  Presidency,  a  candidate 
who  vigorously  and  unswervingly  opposed  slavery.  Later, 
he  was  a  general  in  the  Union  Army.  Much  has  been 
written  about  him,  and  his  own  first  report  to  Congress 
will  always  stand  as  an  admirable  and  conscientious  piece 
of  work.  The  volume  is  a  comprehensive,  dispassionate 
review  of  the  main  facts  of  a  remarkable  life,  from  the  pen 
of  Frederick  S.  Dellenbaugh,  whose  actual  experiences 
among  new  and  old  trails  of  the  country  Fremont  traversed, 
and  intimate  acquaintance  with  that  entire  field,  render  him 
qualified  to  estimate  and  balance  the  exploits  of  this 
energetic  American  whose  hand  so  often  nearly  grasped 
the  most  glorious  success,  and  whose  friends  delighted  to 
call  "  Pathfinder." ^ 

New  York         G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons  London 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 

HMARWR 


MAR  281360 


LD  21A-50m-4,'59 
(A1724slO)476B 


YC  09942 


372259 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


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